Christopher Bell Dominates 2025 Chili Bowl Race of Champions

NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell won the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals Race of Champions on Monday night, continuing his stellar return to dirt racing.
Christopher Bell captured the victory in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals O'Reilly Invitational Race of Champions at the Tulsa Expo Center, marking a stellar return to dirt racing.
Christopher Bell captured the victory in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals O'Reilly Invitational Race of Champions at the Tulsa Expo Center, marking a stellar return to dirt racing. / Photo Courtesy of FloRacing Broadcast

NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell is the first major winner of the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, winning the O’Reilly Invitational Race of Champions.

Monday’s major triumph marks the continuation of a stellar return to dirt racing – thanks to Joe Gibbs – after winning the Non-Wing Outlaw Golden Driller during the Tulsa Shootout just eight days ago.

On the first night of Chili Bowl action, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver managed to secure another victory in the Race of Champions, his third victory in the prestigious event, featuring past Chili Bowl winners and other standout drivers.

It was a pretty simple victory for Bell, who led the entire 25-lap feature event, after starting on the pole position – following an invert of the top four positions, as chosen by Tanner Thorson.

“Thank you, Tanner. That was friendly of you,” joked Bell. “I freaking love this place, man. It is the greatest. I’m just glad I get to be here with all you great race fans. This is just so much fun. So fun to be able to come back and run these dirt cars.”

Christopher Bell will return to action on Thursday night, as he attempts to lock into the Chili Bowl Nationals with a top two finish in his A-Main.

“It’s taking me a little bit to get my midget shoes underneath me. I’m really glad I had that race to help better myself for Thursday.”

“I’ve been in this position many times where I run really well early in the week, on Thursday in my prelim or the Race of Champions. The track is always different whenever it comes Saturday night A-Main time. It’s a great start, for sure. I’m going to have to be on my game and do everything right to win this race on Saturday night.”

Daison Pursley finished in the runner-up spot, with Tanner Thorson third and Justin Grant in fourth-place. Cannon McIntosh, the all-time wins leader in Monday night prelim action, rounded out the top-five.

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid was sixth, with 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion in seventh and his protégé Corey Day sitting just behind him in eighth-place, after some mid-race contact between the two drivers.

Spencer Bayston was ninth with Tyler Courtney in tenth.

Monday’s 2nd Opinion Qualifying Night will see appearances from NASCAR Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson and Josh Bilicki, as well as NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series part-timer Brent Crews.


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Joseph Srigley
JOSEPH SRIGLEY

Joseph Srigley covers NASCAR for TobyChristie.com, Racing America, and OnSI, and is the owner of the #SrigleyStats brand. With a higher education in the subjects of business, mathematics, and data analytics, Joseph is able to fully understand the inner workings of the sport through multiple points of perspective.