Christopher Bell: NASCAR has ‘identity crisis’ between racing and entertainment

When it comes to what NASCAR wants to be, Christopher Bell believes that the sport is in a bit of an “identity crisis.” Is NASCAR about racing, finding out who the fastest car and driver is? Or is it about entertaining as many people as possible? And can you have both?

The balance between sport and entertainment has always existed in auto racing. It’s an inherently dangerous sport that requires man and machine to work as one in order to be as fast as possible.

Drivers like Christopher Bell want to race. They want to show up and the best team wins. But that isn’t always how things work out in NASCAR.

Speaking with Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck on The Teardown, Bell talked about the awkward position NASCAR finds itself in.

“I don’t know, I mean, it just uh… It feels like we in a little bit of an identity crisis, and I can’t [take credit], someone else in our industry used that term, and I loved it and I’m like, that is so true,” Bell said. “Are we a racing league and do we want to promote the best teams, the best drivers? Or do we want to be in the entertainment industry and have the most entertaining races?”

Then Gluck chimed in noting it was tough to have it “both ways.” Christopher Bell agreed.

“It is, and if you ask different people on what a good race is, you’re gonna get different answers. And you have true motorsports people that understand what a good race is and how the best, or however a race should be. And you ask other fans who are as educated in the sport and their view of it is going to be much different. So, yeah we’re in a weird spot right now. And it’s just going to get weirder with Talladega in the Round of 8.”

Bianchi asked if Talladega in the third round makes Bell cringe a bit…

“It does, it does.”

When it comes to NASCAR, drivers, teams, and owners, all have to play the same game. While things like the playoffs and points system are controversial, they have to show up and play by the rules.

Christopher Bell’s comments are very interesting. He is a driver who has had great success in the current system. So, why does he have so much criticism for it? Honestly, it makes me take him more seriously on the matter. He has every reason to love the current system.

Is Bell right about NASCAR, is it in an identity crisis?