The Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez delivered exactly what NASCAR hoped for. A vibrant, festival-style atmosphere with packed grandstands, festive sombreros and an F1-inspired podium celebration after the race. Fan energy peaked as the top three finishers climbed the podium, sprayed champagne, and soaked in the spotlight in front of an adoring crowd.
Amid the excitement, Christopher Bell secured a strong second-place finish behind Shane van Gisbergen, pacing just ahead of Chase Elliott. While podium ceremonies aren’t standard in NASCAR, several drivers wholeheartedly embraced the change—Bell among them, hinting that this could be the start of a new tradition.
Christopher Bell is all in for podium celebrations
Christopher Bell spoke with FrontStretch’s Dalton Hopkins at Pocono Raceway about NASCAR’s new podium celebration, an idea he thinks could bring more drama and entertainment to the sport. Dalton Hopkins posted on X: “I felt that @CBellRacing had an interesting take regarding the podium celebration. He believes it could work well at other tracks.”
Bell began by reflecting on Mexico City, saying, “I thought it was fine. I think that it has potential to be very, what’s the right word? I think it has the potential to be very entertaining. If you have guys that, you know, get into each other, the way that that race played out, obviously Shane was by himself, I was by myself, and Chase was by himself. “
Unlike Formula One’s driver-only podiums, NASCAR has long celebrated wins as a team triumph. From burnout in front of the pit crew to emotional hugs in victory Lane, the spotlight is shared with the mechanics, the engineers, and the over-the-wall crew who made the victory possible. It’s a culture built on unity, where the checkered flag belongs to everyone on the winning team.
I felt that @CBellRacing had an interesting take regarding the podium celebration. He believes it could work well at other tracks.
“We didn’t have any confrontation, but if you get to the end of these races it could be very entertaining to have the top 3 up there.”
He noted… pic.twitter.com/eiuQi0FUB1
— Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT) June 21, 2025
However, Christopher Bell admitted, noting that in the Viva Mexico 250’s case, each of the top three—Shane, himself, and Chase—was solo when they reached the podium. He added On saying, “ We didn’t have any confrontation, but I think if you get to the end of some of these races, it could be very entertaining to have the top three up there.”
Several drivers have embraced the podium celebration, seeing it as a refreshing change from NASCAR’s usual Victory Lane format. Chase Elliott echoed that enthusiasm, praising the overall vibe of the weekend and calling the atmosphere really positive. And of course, Mexico’s hometown favorite, Daniel Suarez, who won the Chilango 150, thought it would be a good idea and praised the cultural resonance and loved how the ceremony energized the packed stadium crowd. And when asked about having podium celebrations in NASCAR, Bell sounded fine with that idea, saying, “It would definitely be, I don’t know, it’s not for me to decide, but I think it could be some good content.”
Shifting focus to Pocono, when Hopkins asked what Christopher felt about Dale Junior making his debut as a crew chief and asked what type of difficulties one may face while transitioning to a crew chief, Bell kept his answer very simple. Without trying to ruffle any feathers and staying safe with his response, he said, “I wouldn’t have any idea. I would assume that he’s got guys in his ears that are calling him through the race and letting him know what to do, and he’s just the message relayer, but I really don’t have any idea.”
And speaking of Pocono, Christopher Bell secured a solid ninth-place starting position for Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 in the Cup Series. He clocked a lap at 171.347 mph, slotting his No. 20 Toyota behind qualifying leader Denny Hamlin and ahead of Daniel Suarez and Joey Logano.
Earlier in the session, Bell’s car experienced a mechanical hiccup in group B practice that limited him to just three laps, causing a 13th-place finish in practice. Despite the setback, he rebounded impressively and qualified to log into the top 10. This strong rebound after practice issues shows Bell and his team have momentum heading into the race, setting him up for a potentially competitive weekend at the Tricky Triangle.
Christopher Bell opens up about confusing fan backlash
Off the track, Bell has been performing strongly. On the racing side, Bell has already notched three wins, including the All-Star Race, and is currently third in the Cup Standings, with 524 points, just 80 behind the leader, William Byron. Despite the success, Bell is open about how success has made him a target. He acknowledged that drivers who dominate can attract dislike, even when they haven’t done anything overly controversial. But Christopher doesn’t want to be defined by others’ opinions; however, it clearly bugs him to be disliked.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has noticed a shift in how fans react to him since breaking into NASCAR’s top tier. The 30-year-old didn’t get attacked negatively during his junior racing days, and he’s puzzled by the backlash despite avoiding controversial remarks. As Bell told the Athletic, “ Nobody disliked me. Then you get into NASCAR, and I don’t know if it’s because people don’t know the individuals, or maybe I have changed and I’m just an a—–e, but I’ve definitely got people who don’t like me now.”
After dealing with this wave of unexpected criticism, Christopher Bell admitted he doesn’t understand why public opinion towards him has soured so suddenly. He recalled being well-liked growing up and finds it confusing that people now dislike him without knowing him personally. Bell made it clear that he has no intention of offending anyone, whether it’s my winning races or getting caught up in on-track incidents, and wishes the negativity would ease up.
He goes on to say, ” I’m like, ‘I don’t understand how anybody could not like me.’ I never had people dislike me as a kid growing up, and now I do.” As Bell continues to stack up wins and prove himself on the track, the question now lingers: can consistent success and quiet resilience eventually turn the tide of fan perception back in his favor? And will Pocono be that proving ground for him?
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