“We Weren’t Good Enough!” Christopher Bell Sulks Over Martinsville R-8 Elimination

Joe Gibbs Racing star driver Christopher Bell is beyond disappointed over his failure to make it into the 2025 championship-4.

“We Weren’t Good Enough!” Christopher Bell Sulks Over Martinsville R-8 Elimination

Christopher Bell (Via @CBellRacing/X)

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Joe Gibbs Racing came into the NASCAR Cup series race at Martinsville with the hoes of having three cars in the championship-4, with Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe already securing in the finale. Christopher Bell was a solid positing make to get promoted, with point advantage over main rival Kyle Larson.

But just like last season, luck didn’t back him in the most important race of his season, as William Byron secured the race win to get into the finale, while Kyle Larson scored eight points more than him to steal the final spot for the Phoenix finale. Chrstopher Bell in his post-race interview lamented about the results and admitted they were good enough on the day.

Ever since the schedule came out, you’re looking at it, you know it’s going to take everything here at Martinsville, and ultimately we got beat. I don’t know. We weren’t good enough.

Christopher Bell said via Matt Weaver of Motorsport.

Talking about the reasons for the disappointing end to a promising season, the No:20 Toyota driver pointed out that they lacked consistency though out the season and other than a handful of flashes or greatness, they didn’t stand out from the competition. He is determined to work on it for the 2026 season.

We just need to be more consistent. We have flashes of greatness, and we just kind of taper off, and you’re just another guy out there. And tonight, we were just another guy out there. Certainly, the consistency has been a problem for years now. We need to do better at that.

Christopher Bell added.

Christopher Bell gives a positive take on the layoffs format as four right guys made it to the final

In a separate conversation on the exit, Bell shared his perspective on the playoffs format after seeing driver that made it into the finale. He has previously been critical of the format, claiming only the original full-season format can crown the true champion.

Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell (Via @LVMotorSpeedway/X)

He asserted that the results from this season have showed some positive of the format as the right guys have made it into the final four. Everyone that is in the chase deserves flying back home with the championship.

I think the format has a lot of positives around it. This year, four of the right guys ended up making it. I think whoever the champion is out of those four is going to be a deserving champion. This year, the format worked out. I am content with the results.

Christopher Bell said.

This contentment he feels have given him the opportunity to go back home feeling much better than he has ever been. But still he is disappointed as he just had to do one thing to thrive on Sunday, outrun Kyle Larson, which he failed to do.

I’d say it feels a lot better than last year, for sure. I genuinely feel like the four going there are very deserving, and it is what it is. We knew coming in here, we were going to have to outrun [Larson], and we didn’t do it.

Christopher Bell added.

Of the four made it, Denny Hamlin has the most wins with four, Chase Briscoe is the most consistent racer of 2025 with most top-5’s alongside five wins, William Byron is the regular season champion with three wins and Kyle Larson, the best racer on the current line-up. The final has the potential to be the best of the Next-Gen era.

Also Read: Joey Logano Exposes the Real Reason Behind His 2025 Playoffs struggles