MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Christopher Bell confirmed Thursday morning that he’ll be competing in the first two rounds of USAC Eastern Midget Week with Tucker/Boat Motorsports.
The three-time Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals champion and Norman, Okla., native will race Tuesday night at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., before also joining the NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series at Action Track USA in Kutztown, Pa., on Wednesday.
Bell will pilot a new-look No. 84x Pristine Auction/K&C Drywall Toyota-powered entry for the team co-owned by his longtime friend and former driver Chad Boat.
“I am going to be driving a midget for Tucker Boat on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week,” Bell noted during a NASCAR teleconference. “I’m going to go to the Pennsylvania Speedweek midget races and then outside of that, I don’t really know.”
The two Keystone State midget events will mark Bell’s first time back in a midget since his runner-up finish to Kyle Larson during the 34th running of the Chili Bowl at Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Raceway in January.
In that event, Bell finished second to Larson after leading the first 38 laps of the 55-lap feature. Bell was bidding for his record-tying fourth-straight Golden Driller trophy.
Other than a handful of sprint car starts during Pennsylvania Speedweek for 410 sprint cars, as well as a pair of races last weekend in Ohio, Bell has virtually been nonexistent on the dirt-track scene this year.
Instead, Bell has focused on his NASCAR Cup Series duties for Leavine Family Racing as he works through his rookie season at stock-car racing’s highest level.
His best finish in a sprint car this season is second, earned Saturday at Fremont (Ohio) Speedway, wheeling the Ed Neumeister Racing No. 11n normally piloted by Buddy Kofoid.
Bell raced his own sprint car during Pennsylvania Speedweek, with a best finish of third at Lincoln Speedway.
Bell noted he’s taking as many precautions as he can as he returns to the form of racing that launched his career into the national spotlight nearly a decade ago.
“The biggest thing is just trying to use common sense and being as smart as I can about going to the races,” Bell noted. “It’s about making sure you keep your distance … and instead of traveling up to Pennsylvania races on a plane, like I probably would (normally), instead I’m going to be riding in the rig and isolate from the masses as much as I can anyway.
“It’s a matter of just doing your part by wearing masks when you need to and making sure that you’re staying away from people and just using common sense.”