“Apples and Oranges”: JGR star Christopher Bell highlights the fundamental contrast between Chili Bowl Nationals and Daytona 500

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell is set to kick off his 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign with the prestigious Daytona 500, but ahead of The Great American Race, he is competing in the Chili Bowl Nationals, the world’s greatest midget race of the year, this week. JGR star recently explained why the Chili Bowl and Daytona 500 are fundamentally different.

Christopher Bell is one of the rare NASCAR drivers to regularly compete in both NASCAR’s top-tier series and grassroots dirt racing. He is one of the most successful drivers in Chili Bowl Nationals history, as he won three consecutive Golden Drillers between 2017 and 2019.

Ahead of the 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals, Bell has offered an insightful comparison between two of the most iconic events in American motorsports: the Chili Bowl Nationals and the Daytona 500. He described the comparison as an “apples and oranges” situation, highlighting how each event serves a distinct purpose for drivers and fans alike.

Here’s what the 31-year-old driver said (via X/@FloRacing):

“Comparing the Chili Bowl to the Daytona 500 is just, it’s like apples and oranges. The Daytona 500 is the biggest race of the NASCAR schedule, but it’s only the NASCAR guys. Where the Chili Bowl? Anybody can enter into the Chili Bowl. So it’s kind of a barometer for drivers because everybody’s there. You get a lot of top drivers from different disciplines and people that don’t compete against each other all the time. And it’s a great show.”

The week-long Chilli Bowl Nationals begin today (January 11) with practice and end with A-Main on January 17. This year’s event sets a new record, as 400 entries have entered in the Super Bowl of Midget Racing.

Christopher Bell feels racing and making moves at a superspeedway is like a “game of chess”

Christopher Bell further compared superspeedway racing to a game of chess. The Daytona 500 is held annually at Daytona International Speedway, the 2.5-mile-long superspeedway.

According to Christopher Bell, success at a superspeedway depends on anticipating moves, choosing the right lane, working with or against other drivers, and making the move at the perfect moment, not just driving flat-out.

In the aforementioned interview, Bell said:

“Superspeedway racing is really chess. You’re not at the edge of grip, which is what allows the pack racing and people to be closed up behind guys. And it’s all about timing, being in the right spot at the right time, and obviously knowing when to make your move to get to the front. So it’s very much a game of chess. Daytona is a huge event. It’s something that extends outside of the motorsports community.”

Winning the prestigious Daytona 500 is a career-defining achievement for any driver, a win that cements a driver’s legacy at the highest level of NASCAR. Christopher Bell has never won the season-opening 500-mile race, but he has two podium finishes at the event.

The 2026 Daytona 500, the crown jewel event, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 15.