Christopher Bell is Short Track Nationals Champion!

Christopher Bell had finished second in each of previous two attempts at I-30 Speedway’s Short Track Nationals.  He definitely didn’t want to finish second again.

“I’m tired of finishing second there, I really want to win this one,” Bell commented prior to this past weekend’s $15,000-to-win event atop the ¼-mile Little Rock clay oval.

Mission accomplished, as Bell raced to the biggest payday of his career on Saturday night after topping Friday night’s preliminary feature as well.  Bell has now racked up a total of 24 wins thus far in 2014.

“This is awesome, I can’t believe we won this one,” Bell said after becoming the youngest winner in the 27 year history of the prestigious event, one that not even Kyle Larson was able to top in three tries.

“I didn’t think we had a chance after hot laps, we were terrible,” Bell said of the Saturday night finale.  “My guys changed everything though and the car was great, it just kept getting better as the race went on.”

Bell’s week aboard Brandon Berryman’s Moss Racing Engines-powered All Pro Auto Reconditioning No. 31b JR1 got off to an inauspicious start in Wednesday’s Short Track Nationals Open when a “B” Main tangle brought an early end to the night.

“We weren’t any good in the heat race then got wrecked before we even started the ‘B’,” Bell explained.

The 19-year-old bounced back in strong form though, winning his Friday night heat race and then racing from sixth to third in his qualifier to earn the pole position for the feature.

Bell battled Matt Covington much of the way in the Friday main event before taking command 16 rounds into the 25-lapper en route to his first career score at I-30 Speedway.

“We’ve been close before, it feels good to finally get one,” Bell commented.  “Now we just have to do it again tomorrow.”

Gridding Saturday night’s $15,000-to-win STN finale inside the third row after a fifth-place Dash finish, Bell battled his way into second by the time the caution flew after 19 laps in the 40-lapper.  Bell took quick advantage on the restart, sliding past A.G. Rains for the lead and never looking back en route to a convincing victory.

“I’d been up top the entire time until I got to Rains,” Bell explained.  “I gave the bottom a try and it felt good, the car was working anywhere I needed it.”

With his 24th win of the year in the books and fourth in Berryman’s winged 360-ci Sprint Car, it’s back to asphalt for a 150-lapper in the Super Late Model ranks at Sophia, North Carolina’s Caraway Speedway on Saturday.

Bell will be gunning for a second consecutive asphalt Super Late Model score aboard the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 52 after taking victory honors at Orange County Speedway on October 18 in just his third asphalt outing.

2014 Quick Stats:  96 races, 24 wins, 51 top-fives, 64 top-tens.

Next Up:

Saturday, Caraway Speedway (Sophia, NC) – Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 52 asphalt Super Late Model

Keep Track:  Keep track of Christopher Bell’s on-track action including schedule and results athttp://www.christopherbellracing.com/.