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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

Christopher Bell is going against the hype this Sunday. Even before the drivers arrived at Darlington, they were afraid of the chaos from the short track package on the track. In their eyes, that single factor could make racing much more difficult. However, for Christopher Bell, the so-called chaos isn’t as scary as it sounds, something he made clear in an honest seven-word take.

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Christopher Bell looks forward to a fun weekend

I didn’t really feel that much different there in (Cup) practice.”

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For Christopher Bell, the Lady in Black is not as scary as it is for other drivers. In fact, Bell is having fun because of the way the cars are handling. On one hand, there are drivers like Chase Elliott, who are desperate for a victory this weekend. On the other hand, Christopher Bell stays honest about his intentions, as he just wants to enjoy the weekend and get the best out of the situation.

“I had a little bit of everything. It was a lot of fun,” Bell replied when asked about the car’s handling. It is the prime reason that strikes fear into drivers like Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski this Sunday. But not for Bell.

“The cars are very, very low on grip. So yeah, it’s fun. It’s a tough race. I think all the drivers are doing a really good job. The cars are hard to drive, so credit to them, and yeah, it’s just a fun race to be a part of.”

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However, Bell also knows that he did not do a perfect job with his car. He may not feel the subtle difference, but his qualifying pace was not up to the mark either. Christopher Bell will be starting the race from P22 on Sunday. In his interview, Bell did not shy away from accepting his shortcomings.

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“I don’t know, I mean, my car was pretty tight in Cup practice. Honestly, I was one of the ones who were saying the Cup car’s going to be a lot different in Darlington with the new rule package. And I didn’t really feel that much different there in (Cup) practice. But I wasn’t very good either, so we will see how the race plays out tomorrow.”

While Bell may be starting from P22, he did face some success on Saturday. While racing in the O’Reilly Series, Christopher Bell was able to bring his car home in P3. Although there is a vast difference in the handling of the O’Reilly and Cup Series cars. So, it does not necessarily mean that Bell can reciprocate it in the final race.

Moreover, Bell was more interested in his teammate’s victory, which unfortunately did not come true. “Yeah, it was pretty self-explanatory. I wish Brandon would’ve won the restart. You know, whoever wins the start wins the race; it’s that situation, so I felt bad that Brandon didn’t get clear and get off the front. I would love to see him win, but suppose it was meant to be.”

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On that note, let’s have a look at the starting lineup for today’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Darlington.

NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 Starting Lineup

45Tyler Reddick23XI RacingToyota
23Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota
9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
5Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
6Brad KeselowskiRFK RacingFord
17Chris BuescherRFK RacingFord
12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord
8Kyle BuschRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
7Daniel SuarezSpire MotorsportsChevrolet
2Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord
24William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
35Riley Herbst23XI RacingToyota
48Justin AllgaierHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
77Carson HocevarSpire MotorsportsChevrolet
60Ryan PreeceRFK RacingFord
47Ricky Stenhouse Jr.HYAK MotorsportsChevrolet
38Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord
71Michael McDowellSpire MotorsportsChevrolet
42John Hunter NemechekLegacy Motor ClubToyota
20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
19Chase BriscoeJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
43Erik JonesLegacy Motor ClubToyota
1Ross ChastainTrackhouse RacingChevrolet
21Josh BerryWood Brothers RacingFord
16AJ AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet
54Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
4Noah GragsonFront Row MotorsportsFord
34Todd GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord
88Connor ZilischTrackhouse RacingChevrolet
97Shane van GisbergenTrackhouse RacingChevrolet
51Cody WareRick Ware RacingChevrolet
41Cole CusterHaas Factory TeamChevrolet
10Ty DillonKaulig RacingChevrolet
66Timmy HillGarage 66Ford

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Once again, the 23XI Racing cars are looking faster than the field. Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace were able to lock out the front row, establishing an early advantage. Chase Elliott’s plea from earlier seems to be working, as he is starting from the second row, with an equally good shot at victory.

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