GEORGETOWN, Del. — For years, NASCAR Cup Series star Christopher Bell has wanted the chance to drive a Big Block Modified.
He’ll get that opportunity when the Super DIRTcar Series heads to Georgetown Speedway on Wednesday, May 13, as part of the Delaware Diamond Clash.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the Norman, Okla., driver will drive a Halmar-Friesen Racing Big Block as a teammate to Stewart Friesen. It’s a relationship between the two drivers that’s continued to grow over the past few years.
“I really respected him whenever he came into the Truck Series the same time I did,” Bell said. “I thought it was really cool to have another dirt racer trying to make the NASCAR transition. I didn’t know Stewart at all outside of his results and background of being a dirt guy. We got to be around each other a little bit through the Truck Series.
“We’ve been in touch through the years, and whenever they started running that second truck, I was interested in driving it, and it worked out.”
Bell got behind the wheel of Halmar-Friesen Racing’s second truck at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this year, a move that paid off as Bell led 63 laps en route to the victory. Now, he’ll try to replicate that success in a No. 62 Big Block.
“We’re excited to be able to put Christopher in a modified,” Friesen said. “It’s something that has been on his radar for a few years, and the timing finally worked out. His resume speaks for itself, and he’s been a great friend and teammate at HFR.”
Wednesday’s race at Georgetown will be the first time Bell will drive a Big Block, but that doesn’t mean he’s inexperienced on dirt. He’s won six World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car features, along with five features in American Sprint Car Series action.
And after watching Big Block Races, Bell said it’s the closest thing to a sprint car.
“Just talking to a lot of people and watching the cars and seeing how they are, it seems like it’s just a fendered Sprint car,” Bell said. “I’ve never driven a fender car on dirt outside of the NASCAR Trucks or the Cup Series. I’m looking forward to trying something new. I don’t have any expectations on how it’s going to be. I know Stewart has great equipment, and he’s clearly going to be one of the favorites at Georgetown. If I can do my homework and utilize Stewart to the best of my ability, quiz him, pick his brain, hopefully I can have a solid showing.”
Bell has already picked Friesen’s brain a bit, asking about what he needs to know before he steps into the car. However, the 13-time NASCAR Cup Series winner said he’ll be able to understand more once he takes the green flag in hot laps.
“[Stewart] has tried to compare the Modified to the background he has in the sprint cars,” Bell said. “He’s given me fair warning that I’m not going to be able to enter the corner like I can a sprint car. He can talk about it all he wants, but until I can get out there and get a feel for what he’s saying, it’s hard to get much of an understanding on it.
“I’m sure after I make a couple of laps in it, I’ll be able to relate a lot more to what he’s saying and have a lot more questions to hone my craft.”
The Delaware Diamond Clash, which also features the World of Outlaws Late Models Series presented by DIRTVision, begins a star-studded week of racing in Delaware, as NASCAR visits Dover Motor Speedway later in the week.
Both events will bring a crossover from dirt to asphalt that Bell said he loves.
“No matter what it is, I really respect the fans that enjoy both, and I think it’s really cool,” Bell said. “Dover is honestly a hot spot for sprint car racing. Whenever we go to Dover, we have a lot of crossover between fans that I see in the Central Pennsylvania area.
“Hopefully, we get a great turnout on Wednesday and more crossover between the events.”
