NASCAR: Could Stewart-Haas Racing snag Christopher Bell from Toyota in 2019?

Christopher Bell doesn’t want to spend another season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, but he may have to if he stays with Toyota. Could Stewart-Haas Racing snag him from Toyota for the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season?

NASCAR Xfinity Series championship standings leader Christopher Bell appears to be more than ready to make the jump to the NASCAR Cup Series next season if given the opportunity to do so even though he does not yet have a full season of Xfinity Series competition under his belt.

The 23-year-old Norman, Oklahoma native and driver of the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota leads the Xfinity Series championship standings by 17 points (771 to 754) over JR Motorsports’ Elliott Sadler and Richard Childress Racing’s Daniel Hemric in a second place tie.

While Sadler and Hemric have not yet won a race this season, Bell has earned four victories in 2018, the most among all Xfinity Series drivers. As a result, he also leads the playoff standings with 24 playoff points. He leads the standings by 10 points over JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier in second place. Allgaier has earned three victories and 14 playoff points so far this season.

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However, the 2017 Truck Series champion being ready to compete full-time in the Cup Series and actually getting the chance to do so next season may unfortunately be two different stories if he sticks with Toyota.

The Toyota driver would like to stay with Toyota seeing as how they are a big reason why is his where he is, but doing that may require him to spend at least another season in the Xfinity Series, which he does not particularly want to do. This may be the case seeing as how there will likely not be any seats open with the top two Toyota teams, Joe Gibbs Racing and Furniture Row Racing, in the Cup Series next year.

Here is what Bell had to say about his future when discussing where he might be driving next season, according to NASCAR.com.

"“Going into next season, I am set for another year of Xfinity, and there are no holes in the Cup side, so that’s what makes it difficult. But as far as what I need, honestly I don’t feel like I need another year of Xfinity. I think the best way for me to win at the Cup level is to get there and start trying at it.“Toyota was the one that really ‑‑ they’re the reason why I’m here. I would love to stay with them, and hopefully it works out in the future. The biggest thing is I’ve learned throughout my years, and especially in NASCAR, is you are only as good as the race car that you sit in. Right now I’m at the best organization that I can be at, so I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else, honestly.“Even if the Cup deal doesn’t work out for next year, which it looks like it’s not going to, I’m still going to be sitting in a really fast race car at a level in motorsports where I never really dreamed I’d be at. So I’m going to be thrilled either way. But I definitely ‑‑ like I said, I’m 23 years old. I feel like I’m at my prime, and I don’t want to waste another year if the opportunity comes to make the jump.”"

If Bell wants to make the jump to the Cup Series, would he do so even if he would have to leave Toyota?

If the answer to that question is “yes”, Stewart-Haas Racing may be the perfect destination for him. Rumors are swirling that Kurt Busch will leave Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of the 2018 season and replace Jamie McMurray as the driver of the #1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet next year.

While these rumors have not been confirmed, as Busch claims that he hasn’t yet signed anything as far as next season goes, and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas claims that there is still a “possibility” that Busch will return to the team next season, they very well could be in the near future. If that is the case, would Stewart-Haas Racing sign bell to replace Busch as the driver of the #41 Ford?

Cole Custer, who drives for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Xfinity Series, would be the logical replacement for Busch if Busch does end up leaving the team at the end of the season. The 20-year-old is in his second Xfinity Series season driving for the team, and he sits in fourth place in the championship standings just two points behind Sadler and Hemric in second and 19 points behind Bell in the lead.

However, if Stewart-Haas Racing get the opportunity to sign Bell, who is more than three years older than Custer, it is hard to see them not taking advantage of it, especially given the fact that he, like Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart, has a dirt racing background.

Custer is still only 20 years old, so there is certainly no need to rush him into the Cup Series. Meanwhile, as referenced above, Bell is already 23. If Stewart-Haas Racing are able to snag Bell from Toyota, perhaps Custer could continue driving for the team in the Xfinity Series until one of their other drivers, likely Kevin Harvick or Clint Bowyer, moves to another team or retires.

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Could Stewart-Haas Racing snag Christopher Bell from Toyota for the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season? If not, will Bell drive in the Cup Series for one of the sport’s top two Toyota teams next year, or will he return for another season in the Xfinity Series driving for Joe Gibbs Racing?

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