Christopher Bell – No. 20 DEWALT-Rheem Toyota Camry TRD Preview – Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway

No. 20 DEWALT-Rheem Toyota Camry TRD News and Notes:

  • DAYTONA 500: Christopher Bell will make his fourth NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) start in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 19th at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). The No. 20 Toyota Camry TRD will feature both DEWALT and Rheem as co-primary sponsors.
  • HISTORY IN THE DAYTONA 500: In the 2022 Daytona 500, Bell started 12th. Unfortunately, during stage one, the right-side hood flap broke. Despite the setback, Bell was still fast and ran as high as second before being collected in an accident just before the stage break. Bell took the car to the garage for repairs after meeting minimum speed and returned to the track to gain as many points positions as possible, finishing the race 34th. In 2021, Bell qualified fifth and led 32 laps but suffered a flat tire and spin under green in stage two. Bell rebounded to earn a 16th-place finish. Bell qualified 19th in 2020 for his first career Daytona 500 start and teamed up with his fellow Toyota teammates throughout the race. Under caution on lap 185, he was sitting second. Unfortunately, when racing resumed, he found himself without drafting help and got shuffled back in the field. While working his way back forward, he sustained damage when a car spun in front of him, resulting in a 21st-place finish for Bell.    
  • CREW CHIEF:  Adam Stevens and Bell head into their third season together. Stevens first took over as crew chief for Bell in 2021 and together they won the second race of the NCS season at the Daytona Road Course. Together they made a Championship run in 2022, making the final 4 with walk-off-victories at the Charlotte ROVAL and Martinsville. Overall, in 2022, Stevens and Bell earned three wins, four poles, 12-top five and 20 top-10 finishes.
  • RHEEM GUESTS AT DAYTONA: Rheem will be hosting more than 100 guests this weekend at DIS. There will be guests on-site from Smurfit Kappa, Gemaire Distributors, RSD Distributors, Darden Restaurants, and Rheem Water Heating Division Southeast plumbing contractors. This will be Rheem’s first visit to the Daytona 500 since winning their first-ever NASCAR race as a sponsor in 2007.
  • DEWALT HOOD: DEWALT will feature Campbell Plumbing on the lower hood of the No. 20 for the Daytona 500. For more information about Campbell Plumbing, visit http://campbellplbg.com/
  • 2022 RECAP: Bell finished 2022 with three wins, including walk-off victories at the ROVAL and Martinsville to advance through the Playoffs and lock in a spot in the final 4. In addition to the three wins, Bell led 573 laps, qualified on the pole four times, earned 12 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes.
  • JGR AT DAYTONA: Joe Gibbs Racing owns eight NCS victories at DIS. In 163 combined starts, the organization has tallied 36 top-five finishes, 51 top-10s and 2,059 laps led.
  • RACE INFO: The Daytona 500 at DIS begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 19, 2023. The race will be broadcast live on FOX, Sirius XM 90, and MRN Radio.

 

From the Cockpit:

Christopher Bell: “The sports’ biggest race kicks off our season and I’m excited to have both DEWALT and Rheem on my car for the Daytona 500. Speedway racing was a struggle for us last year and I’m focused on trying to improve this season. Hopefully all the Toyota’s can work together and we can stay out of trouble. I hope to kick the season off on the right foot.”

 

Bell’s Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Daytona International Speedway:

Starts

Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Poles

Laps Led

Avg. Start

Avg. Finish

6

0

0

0

0

42

12.7

25.3

 

Bell’s Career NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats:

Starts

Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Poles

Laps Led

Avg. Start

Avg. Finish

108

4

21

43

4

691

15.2

16.6

JGR PR