Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday.
Do you feel like you will need to take a bigger leadership role at Joe Gibbs Racing next year with Martin’s retirement from full-time competition?
“That is a good question, and honestly, I don’t really know if there is any leadership from the driver’s standpoint. Certainly, from when we get into our competition meetings, the more guys with experience will, I guess, take the role of steering the ship as far as what we need in the race cars and stuff like that. I have definitely grown in confidence telling the team what we need inside of our cars, with experience, but week-in and week-out, a different guy may lead the discussion. Every time we go into our Monday meetings, it could be whoever has a good race that week. Plenty of times it has been Ty (Gibbs), plenty of times it has been Martin (Truex) or me or Denny (Hamlin). I don’t think there really is a leadership role in that aspect, and whenever we have a new driver into the 19 car, whoever that is, their experience level will dictate how much input they will have in the team.”
BUT: The transcript does not reflect what Bell actually said:
” I don’t think there really is a leadership role in that aspect, and whenever Chase come into the car….whenever some…whenever… whenever we have a new driver into the 19 car.”
