Christopher Bell, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, made a notable apology after a crash involving Zane Smith during last Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. The incident ended Smith’s No. 38 team’s chances of securing a top-10 finish, prompting Bell to personally apologize to every member of the Front Row Motorsports crew, a rare and respected gesture in the sport.
The crash occurred during the race’s overtime restart when Bell made contact with Smith’s car, pushing it into the wall. Video footage displayed Bell hitting the rear of Smith’s vehicle and causing it to turn right. Since this was the first interaction between the two drivers in the race, any ideas of intentional retaliation were quickly dismissed. Bell immediately took ownership of the mistake, understanding the severity of his error.
Bell’s Thought Process Behind the Apology
At Iowa Speedway this week, Bell shared his mindset following the crash, expressing regret and responsibility. He stated,
“It was really bad. That was a really, really bad mistake on my part. I made up my mind literally the second after I said, ‘I have to apologize to everyone.’”
He described approaching the Front Row Motorsports pit area, where their crew was already dismantling equipment.
“I walked by their pit box, saw their pit-crew guys — they were tearing down the pit box, so I apologized to them. Then wandered over to the hauler. Tried to find Zane, he wasn’t around, but was able to talk to the crew guys.”
Despite anticipating an uncertain reception, Bell’s determination to demonstrate accountability outweighed any fear he felt about the confrontation.
Respect Gained from the No. 38 Team and Crew Members
Typically, drivers involved in accidents wait a day or two before reaching out to clear up any misunderstandings. Bell’s decision to immediately apologize in person stood out significantly to those affected. Ryan Flores, the tire changer for Smith’s team, shared his admiration on the Stacking Pennies podcast, highlighting how unusual Bell’s actions were in NASCAR culture.
Flores remarked,
“For the first time ever, a driver walked up to all of our pit crew guys and apologized. He went to our truck and apologized to all our road crew guys.”
He further explained,
“That takes balls after you wreck somebody’s stuff to go and stop and say, ‘Hey man, I’m sorry.’ It’s one thing to call the driver on Tuesday, but to go face all the guys and do that, that’s really one of the first times I’ve remembered that.”
This rare act of humility reinforced Bell’s reputation as one of the most ethically grounded drivers on the track. As the race at Iowa Speedway approaches, Christopher Bell is set to start from 17th position on the grid, carrying with him the respect earned for his sportsmanship.