INDIANAPOLIS – Christopher Bell dreamed of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a kid, and this week he’ll get two opportunities to realize those dreams on two starkly-different surfaces.
Bell will be doing a rare form of double duty this week at IMS, but instead of competing in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at the 2.5-mile oval, the Norman, Okla., native will instead kick-start his time in Indianapolis by racing in this week’s Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by NOS Energy Drink at the new Dirt Track at IMS on Wednesday and Thursday night.
Located inside turn three of the world-famous oval, the quarter-mile bullring will host the USAC P1 Insurance National Midget Series for a two-day, $15,000-to-win spectacle in which 118 of the sport’s top midget car drivers will go all-in for a shot at being the first to claim victory on the dirt at IMS.
For Bell, who has never competed on the big track at Indianapolis and will drive for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports during the BC39 before returning to his regular seat with Joe Gibbs Racing for the Xfinity Series event on Saturday, the choice to compete in the BC39 was easy for the dirt track ace.
“It’s gonna be a whole lot of fun,” said Bell of racing at The Dirt Track at IMS. “Indy is a very prestigious place, and I never would have thought that my first race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway would be on a dirt track, but I’m thankful it is. It’s really fitting.
“I’m really excited, man. It’s going to be a really great race, I think. They’ve put in a lot of hard work to prepare an immaculate surface inside the infield; they’ve really done everything they can to provide a great race track for us. Hopefully we can come in and put on a show.”
Bell, a former USAC National Midget Series champion and the two-time defending winner of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in his home state, pointed out very quickly that simply making the 24-car starting field for the 39-lap championship feature on Thursday night at IMS is going to be a tall task.
“It’s the same format (as the Chili Bowl); it’s not the same amount of cars … but you’re racing against a hundred-plus, so it’s definitely going to be a challenge just to make the A main, just like it is in Tulsa,” noted Bell. “The pill draw (for heat race starting position) is going to be super important. Whenever you have that many cars, it’s really important to make sure that you don’t draw the front of a heat race, because that way you can get some passing points.
“The goal is going to be drive forward in our heat, hopefully get locked into a qualifier and do all we can to make sure we get in that Thursday night feature,” Bell continued. “As long as we get there, then we’ll be fired up and ready to chase after the victory.”
Bell is a bit of a throwback driver, one who won’t hesitate to race anytime, anywhere and in any type of car. He just wants to go out and compete as often as possible.
“Any time you get in a Midget or an open-wheel car, it doesn’t really relate at all to a stock car, so nothing really screws you up,” Bell explained. “It’s just a different mentality. Whenever you hit the accelerator, something tells you: ‘Ah, I’m in a stock car. I can’t slide it through the corner anymore.’
“It’s a totally different feel.”
As far as how special it would be for Bell to win the inaugural BC39, he had a simple, yet tactful answer.
“It would mean I’m the first one, right?” Bell grinned. “(To accomplish that) would be pretty dang cool, if you ask me.
“It’s a really cool race, in honor of a really cool guy and it’s got a really cool trophy. It would be an honor to come out on top.”
