Christopher Bell calls NASCAR’s horsepower move a step in the “right direction”

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell was featured in the media day availability at Las Vegas Motor Speedway ahead of the South Point 400 scheduled for Sunday. During the pre-race interaction, Bell expressed his feelings about NASCAR's decision to increase the NextGen cars' horsepower in the 2026 season and called it a step in the 'right direction.'

The governing body's president, Steve O'Donnell, featured on the Dale Jr. Download podcast this week and confirmed the news. On the podcast, O'Donnell claimed that the stock car racing association will increase the horsepower of the cars from 670 to 750 on selected tracks for the 2026 season.

Following that, Christopher Bell expressed his excitement about NASCAR's decision to increase the horsepower of the NextGen cars, calling it a step in the right direction. He supported his statement, citing the Charlotte ROVAL course race and told the press [00:00]:

"I mean, I'm super excited about it. And I'm glad that you know NASCAR and the team engine builders have taken a step in the right direction. It's definitely going to play a role in races, especially with the tires Goodyear has been bringing." "A couple of years ago, we were talking about road courses. The cars are just locked down, and I can promise you last week at Charlotte Road Course, those things were anything but locked down. You give us more horsepower. It's what we had last week. We're going to be; it is gonna be a big deal. So I think it's definitely a step in the right direction," he concluded.

After a solid P3 finish at Charlotte ROVAL, Christopher Bell is set to compete in the South Point 400 on Sunday, October 12, 2025. Additionally, Bell has qualified third for the 267-lap race at the 1.5-mile track.

---

“This is the best race cars I’ve ever had”: When Christopher Bell got candid about Toyota dominance in the 2025 playoffs

NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell was featured in a post-race interview following his Bristol Motor Speedway triumph in September 2025. During the interaction with Bob Pockrass, Bell expressed his views on Toyota's dominance in the 2025 post-season.

Toyota outperformed other OEMs in the Round of 16 playoffs, with all three races won by JGR drivers. Chase Briscoe began the winning streak with his triumph at Darlington Raceway, followed by Denny Hamlin's victory at World Wide Technology Raceway, and finally, Bell's win at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Reflecting on the same, Christopher Bell told the media:

"I mean, it sure appears to be that way. And just all the Toyotas are super fast right now. And I think I said it last week in my post-race interview that this is the best race cars I've had to drive in the Cup Series compared to the competition in my career. And, you know, I think it goes from Joe Gibbs Racing to 23XI; they've been really good. Even the legacy cars have had an amazing performance, you know, the last couple weeks."

Christopher Bell ranks one spot below the cutoff line ahead of the Las Vegas race. Meanwhile, his teammate Denny Hamlin leads the Cup Series playoff points table with an eight-point buffer. On the other hand, Chase Briscoe ranks seventh with 14 points below the qualifying line.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

Edited by Karan Yadav