Well, one team has been particularly volatile recently on the NASCAR Cup Series grid. Since the end of the 2024 season, Joe Gibbs Racing has been overhauling its setup. Not only that, but some of its changes have also been jaw-dropping. For instance, Chris Gabehart, who helped Denny Hamlin fetch 23 Cup race victories, moved into the competition director role. Fans could hardly recover from that, and now JGR has landed another shocking move with Christopher Bell.
The No. 20 JGR Toyota team has been on fire for the first part of the 2025 season. Christopher Bell fetched three consecutive race victories at Atlanta, COTA, and Phoenix. Presently, he is coming off another fresh victory; however, just after that, his team took a drastic decision.
An unexpected challenge for Christopher Bell
Well, the Toyota high-flyer proved his worth for the fourth time in 2025 last weekend. Christopher Bell broke Joey Logano’s 139-lap dominance at the All-Star Race and toppled his lead at the end. At the end of the race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Bell gave a salute to his team. He said, “These boys right here, [crew chief] Adam Stevens on the pit box, all the mechanics, all the engineers that put this thing together – they’re the big picture.” However, that heart-warming gesture just received a blow. The 600-mile Coca-Cola 600, one of the crown-jewel events of NASCAR, is coming up this weekend. And in anticipation of this big race, JGR let go of one of Bell’s trusted ‘boys.’
The buzz was alive on social media even before the official news was released. Couch Racer, a brand of home-racing experts and a prominent NASCAR account, posted on X: “Potential shocking spotter shakeup coming.” Then, journalist Bob Pockrass broke the news on the same platform: “Spotter change for Christopher Bell. Matt Philpott will be spotting for Bell as Stevie Reeves no longer spotting for Bell.” Stevie Reeves, a 58-year-old veteran spotter, had been working with Bell ever since his 2021 debut in JGR. Together, they fetched all 12 of Bell’s Cup Series race victories, including the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 race.
Spotter change for Christopher Bell. Matt Philpott will be spotting for Bell as Stevie Reeves no longer spotting for Bell.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 21, 2025
However, hints of a topsy-turvy situation have surfaced in the 2025 season. For instance, when Christopher Bell was looking to fetch a fourth consecutive win for the first time since Jimmie Johnson, pit problems set in at Las Vegas. He had to stop at his teammate, Chase Briscoe’s pit stall, to get his tire tightened. Clearly, things may have been a little sketchy. Bell’s incoming partner, Matt Philpott, has a ton of experience. He has served as a spotter for various teams in the Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series this season, including stints with Reaume Brothers Racing, Joey Gase Motorsports. He also served as the spotter for Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 56 TRICON Garage team in the season-opening Daytona 500.
Evidently, Christopher Bell will need to adjust to a new spotter in a short amount of time. While this change was shocking for C Bell fans, another spotter change was welcomed.
When health takes primary importance
Well, Christopher Bell’s team member swap is bizarre indeed. That is because no reason has been given yet to explain why Stevie Reeves will no longer serve as the spotter. However, RFK Racing has a legitimate reason for swapping its No. 6 Ford spotter. Brad Keselowski usually has T.J. Majors, a veteran spotter and a co-host on the Dale Jr Download, sitting atop the pit box. For the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, Todd Brewer will fill in for Majors as Keselowski’s spotter. In a recent episode of DJD, Majors confirmed to Dale Earnhardt Jr about why he will be gone from his duties “for about a month.” That is because Majors is undergoing a medical procedure, the details of which have not been shared.
The No. 6 spotter shared on the podcast: “I missed Darlington. I’ve got a little procedure coming up this week, and I’ll be out for probably about a month…Hopefully, I’ll be back for good after that and not have to worry about it anymore.” This unfortunate development came over two months after TJ Majors’ driver, Brad Keselowski, himself fell sick on the racetrack. The veteran’s cool suit failed at Circuit of the Americas, and Keselowski persisted in the intense heat and powered through to finish 15th. At the end of the racetrack, Keselowski had to be taken on a stretcher from the venue.
While RFK Racing’s spotter swap was a logical development, JGR’s has been baffling. Hopefully, we can get a positive update about why Christopher Bell had to cut ties with his long-time spotter.
The post Joe Gibbs Racing Makes Another Bizarre Crew Shuffle With Christopher Bell’s Team Member Heading Out appeared first on EssentiallySports.
