NASCAR: When will Christopher Bell be confirmed at Leavine for 2020?
By Asher Fair
After Erik Jones was confirmed at Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, it appears to be only a matter of time before Christopher Bell is confirmed at Leavine Family Racing.
Ending months of speculation, Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed that Erik Jones is set to return to the team behind the wheel of the #20 Toyota for what is set to be his third season as a Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2020.
As a result, it appears to be only a matter of time before Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series driver Christopher Bell is officially announced as the replacement for Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel of the #95 Toyota at Leavine Family Racing for next year.
Bell already signed a contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing back in late June, but with Leavine Family Racing having a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, a move to the one-car team would not upset this contract.
More from NASCAR Cup Series
- NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
- NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
- NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
- NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
- NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500
He would effectively be driving for the team on loan, much like Jones did at the previously Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated Furniture Row Racing team in the 2017 season.
In addition, it has already been confirmed that DiBenedetto will not be returning to Leavine Family Racing next year, so the #95 Toyota does, in fact, have an open seat.
The 24-year-old Norman, Oklahoma native has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is ready to be promoted to the Cup Series, winning a rookie record seven races in the 2018 Xfinity Series season and winning six of the first 25 races of the 2019 season.
Given the fact that this open seat gives Joe Gibbs Racing a great opportunity to promote him to the Cup Series effectively as their fifth driver without altering their current four-driver lineup, Bell has been tipped to land at Leavine Family Racing.
Bell has neither confirmed nor denied these rumors, but based on his past comments and additional reports, it appears to be all but a done deal.
In the summer of 2018, he stated that he felt ready to make the jump to the Cup Series, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anybody who disagreed with him. This makes it additionally challenging to envision him turning down the opportunity to make that jump over one year later.
Additionally, given how the DiBenedetto situation played out, there are signs that point to this having been a done deal last year.
dark. Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time
When will Leavine Family Racing confirm Christopher Bell as the driver of the #95 Toyota for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season? Is there still a chance that he will return to Joe Gibbs Racing for a third season in the Xfinity Series next year?
With all things considered, this should be announced very soon. Erik Jones re-signing with Joe Gibbs Racing was the first domino of what should be several to fall involving Joe Gibbs Racing across the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series this Silly Season. Such dominoes figure to factor into Kyle Busch Motorsports’ Truck Series lineup as well.