Christopher Bell made his second start of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and his first for Sam Hunt Racing, in the recent road course race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico. He drove the No. 24 Toyota in this race, though he was knocked out with an early engine failure.
The team did not bring back the No. 24 car for this past Saturday's race at Pocono Raceway, but they are set to bring it back for this weekend's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, now officially known as EchoPark Speedway. Bell, however, will not be the driver.
Bell, who competed for Joe Gibbs Racing in the April race at Darlington Raceway, does not currently have any plans to return to the Xfinity Series later this year.
Christopher Bell replacement confirmed for Atlanta
Patrick Staropoli, who made his Xfinity Series debut for Sam Hunt Racing at Martinsville Speedway in March and placed 16th, is set to make the second of his four scheduled Xfinity Series starts this year in Friday night's 163-lap race around the four-turn, 1.54-mile (2.478-kilometer) high-banked Hampton, Georgia oval.
Staropoli, a retina surgeon, is also scheduled to drive the No. 24 Toyota in the races at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, September 27 and Martinsville again on Saturday, October 25.
The 35-year-old Plantation, Florida native had not competed in any races since 2016 heading into 2025, but he has already competed in select ARCA Menards Series West, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series, and NASCAR Truck Series races this year, in addition to his Xfinity Series schedule.
He is a previous ARCA West race winner, with that victory coming at Irwindale Event Center in 2014. His best finish of the 2025 season so far came in ARCA East, when he placed fourth at Rockingham Speedway in April.
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