NASCAR CUP SERIES: COOK OUT SOUTHERN 500

September 6, 2026

Christopher Bell

Frontstretch Quotes

An Interview with:

Q. Bell, I got to ask you, after all those second-place finishes, seven of them, was it worth the wait?

CHRISTOPHER BELL: It's been too damn long. Oh, my gosh, man. I'm just so, so proud of all of these guys on this No. 20 car, all the mechanics, all the pit crew members. They deserve it more than anyone.

Oh, my gosh, man, this has been a long time coming. Darlington has been one that I've always wanted to win since I got into the sport. This is the ultimate driver's track. You fans, you guys are the best. That's why we're here.

Q. I want to take you back to June 7th. You were sitting in the infield care center at Michigan with a broken wrist. Did you think, number one, the Chase was possible, but number two, that it was even fathomable that you can win the first race of the Chase?

CHRISTOPHER BELL: I knew that we would be able to win it. No matter what I knew that we would be able to win it. We can win any week. It just has not every hasn't happened yet. Whenever I was sitting in the care center in Michigan, I thought my season was over, I was out a couple of weeks, I wasn't going to able to make the chase. We're still in it, baby, whoo!