It’s been widely said that Christopher Bell is the “Tom Holland” of NASCAR. But it’s not because of his spider-rush abilities on the track. Rather, just like Holland, who can’t stand Marvel secrets, Bell accidentally revealed that Chase Briscoe was moving to Joe Gibbs Racing.
The ridicule hasn’t stopped since, which brings up the biggest question of Silly Season: can Bell be trusted with a secret? But HMS star Kyle Larson has an unexpected perspective. In a recent interview with Bob Pockrass, Larson Bell defended himself against any sarcastic comments, saying Bell’s gaffe served the team’s intended purpose.
Larson is proud of Christopher Bell
Amid the chaos of Silly Season, Kyle Larson took Christopher Bell’s accidental revelation in stride. Larson told Bob Pockrass, “I typed it so fast, I couldn’t wait to get it out.
I think I sent that message before I sent the message to Bell and Brisco letting them know I was going to die. It was so funny.” Larson found the situation amusing and believed Bell’s openness had actually benefited JGR.
Larson emphasized how the unexpected gaffe generated excitement and attention, saying, “I think it was the best way to let you know someone was coming to the team.” “It doesn’t matter, I’m sure the PR department planned this fancy, very professional thing, but when they finally announced it, it got a lot more views,” Larson added, highlighting JGR’s unplanned PR win.
If you recall, NASCAR 2021 shared a video put together by @nascarcasm on National Friendship Day. The video showed several clips of drivers physically fighting on the track while a poem titled “Greetings from a Friend” played in the background. The video was certainly entertaining, but it would have been funny and moving if Larson and Bell had appeared on it.
They have certainly come a long way, from longtime rivals in off-road to trusting each other. During the interview, Pockrass also asked the HMS driver if he would trust Bell with his secrets in the future, to which Larson responded confidently: “I think he’ll probably be able to be trusted in the future, because he’ll be a lot more careful than he is now.”
Fans also fully supported Larson’s efforts. They were excited to hear his opinions in the interview, and their reactions were noteworthy.
Fans react to #20’s blunder and #5’s Defense
Bell’s gaffe and Larson’s subsequent defense erupted in excitement in the NASCAR community. Fans expressed their opinions on social media. One fan commented, “In a corporate-controlled world, Larson is so comfortably down to earth,” praising his open approach.
Another humorously commented, “Kyle’s #d19 paying tribute to Chase’s #di9 was awesome!”, highlighting the HMS phenom’s playful side. Many fans agreed with Larson’s feelings about Bell’s gaffe causing a public uproar. One fan said, “These ‘official statements’ don’t mean much to most fans,” noting that official statements are often just for organizations and sponsors.
Another fan offered sympathy for Bell, saying, “Christopher Bell made a ‘mistake’ but was very human and humble about it. We all laugh about it because we’ve all done the same thing.”
The light-hearted nature of the incident brought more positive responses. “C bell is the man,” one fan yelled, showing support for Bell.
Another fan said, “When we fans hear a rumor about NASCAR, 90% of the time it’s true.” A string of humorous comments followed, including “That’s too funny!” and “Who would have been scared to do that?”, while another reflected fans’ general amusement, saying, “I’m glad Larson lightened the situation.” Perhaps this moment was much needed amid all the uncertainty and tension, and we all have Christopher Bell to thank for it.
