Bell Tolls In Darlington Xfinity Series Qualifying

Christopher Bell celebrates his NASCAR Xfinity Series pole at Darlington Raceway. (Jacob Seelman/Race Face Digital photo)

DARLINGTON, S.C. – Christopher Bell aced his first test during throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway Saturday morning, posting the top time in NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying.

Bell, a NASCAR Cup Series interloper running double duty at the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval, turned a lap of 29.911 seconds (164.408 mph) with the No. 19 Sport Clips Haircuts/Rick Ferkel Tribute Toyota GR Supra to earn his 14th career Kennametal Pole Award and second straight at Darlington.

The Norman, Okla., native won the Xfinity Series race at the historic facility last fall and hopes to repeat the performance – as well as gain knowledge for Sunday’s Cup Series race – later in the afternoon.

“I think we’re off to a good start,” Bell said after qualifying. “The cars are so different and this track is so challenging that I’m not sure exactly what will or won’t carry over, but this race is all about having fun and hopefully getting Sport Clips in victory lane. It’s a big day for them as the event sponsor and they’ve had a lot of success here in the past, including the race I won here for them last year.

“Hopefully we can keep that same streak going this year and take home a trophy at the end of the day.”

Both of Bell’s throwback paint schemes this weekend at Darlington pay tribute to Ferkel, a Sprint Car Hall of Famer who served as his mentor when Bell was first starting out in dirt racing, before the national stage was truly a thought in his mind.

Bell tipped that it’s “a true honor” to recognize and remember Ferkel, who passed away Jan. 1, 2024, this weekend.

“It’s really, really special to me,” Bell said. “All of Rick’s family is here with us this weekend and he was the one who put me on the national scene. He gave me my (first) opportunity to go sprint car racing, and if it wasn’t for him, I definitely don’t end up where I’m at today.

“There have been a lot of key people in my career that led me to this point, and he was probably stepping stone number one that made everything that followed possible for me,” he continued. “It would mean the world to me to put one or both of our tribute cars in victory lane for him here.”

Brandon Jones filled out an all-Joe Gibbs Racing front row for the Sport Clips Haircuts/VFW-Help a Hero 200, putting his No. 20 Menards/Turtle Wax Toyota second overall at 29.915 seconds (164.386 mph).

Jones’ throwback scheme pays homage to NASCAR Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth’s 2013 scheme at JGR.

Defending series champion and reigning spring Darlington winner Justin Allgaier rolls off third (29.945/164.221) alongside Taylor Gray (30.008/163.876), who made it three JGR drivers in the top four.

Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer was the fastest Ford in fifth (30.040/163.702), followed by Carson Kvapil, Daniel Dye, Cup Series champion Chase Elliott, Christian Eckes, and Sheldon Creed.

Sophomore sensation Jesse Love, who won the season opener at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway back in February, starts 11th in his third Darlington appearance.

Other notables mired deeper in the field include Harrison Burton (14th), rookies Nick Sanchez (15th) and Connor Zilisch (16th), Austin Hill (19th), and Cup Series regular Ross Chastain (27th), who is making a spot appearance at NASCAR’s second-highest level with JR Motorsports.

With 40 drivers on hand for only 38 starting spots, Jordan Anderson Racing’s Austin Green and Mike Harmon Racing’s Dawson Cram failed to qualify for the lone Darlington event on the Xfinity Series schedule this year.

Broadcast coverage of the Sport Clips Haircuts/VFW-Help a Hero 200 is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET, live on The CW, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.