Christopher Bell 2017 season recap

Christopher Bell had a breakout year in NASCAR during the 2017 season. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion accumulated five wins and five poles, along with 15 top fives and 21 top 10s. On top of all that success, he even paid a visit to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he'll be running full time in 2018. Look back on Bell's booming year in his second season with Kyle Busch Motorsports.

After an eighth-place finish at Daytona, Christopher Bell quickly found the front at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bell nabbed the Keystone Light Pole Award and never looked back, dominating the race by leading 99 of the 130 laps to take victory and punch an early ticket into the Camping World Truck Series Playoffs.

An uncharacteristic 21st-place qualifying performance didn't hold Christopher Bell back at Texas Motor Speedway in June. Bell made quick work of the field and rocketed to the front, leading 92 of the 167 circuits to earn his second win of the season.

Christopher Bell didn’t have to go very far to get to the front at Kentucky Speedway in July. After starting second, Bell lead 54 laps en route to his third checkered flag of the year. Bell quickly established himself as an early championship favorite.

The summer months were very good to Christopher Bell, as he earned his fourth win of the season at Pocono for his second triumph in July. From his win at Texas in June through Bristol in August, Bell accumulated three wins and eight straight finishes of ninth or better.

It was the fifth and final win of the year for Christopher Bell at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, as he indicated with longtime girlfriend Morgan Kemenah. Bell kicked off the first of seven races in the Camping World Truck Series Playoffs with the Loudon victory. The next five finishes of eighth or better would be enough to get him through to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway – his second straight appearance in the final round.

Christopher Bell competed in eight Xfinity Series events over the course of 2017, but it was the fifth one that was the most exciting. Bell earned his first career Xfinity victory at Kansas Speedway in October, but not without a little controversy. Bell made a bold pass on Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Erik Jones in the closing laps, putting the slide job on Jones in Turn 4 that resulted in Jones running into the back of Bell's No. 18 Toyota. Bell thought it was a clean move, but Jones, not so much.

Christopher Bell grew very used to starting up front when the green flag dropped throughout the season. The 23-year-old racked up five Keystone Light Pole Awards – Atlanta, Kansas, Charlotte, Talladega and Phoenix. Atlanta provided the most success from the pole, as he won the race and sealed an early slot into the postseason.

Christopher Bell’s second consecutive Championship 4 appearance ended with the Kyle Busch Motorsports driver hoisting the Camping World Truck Series championship trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A 13th-place start was a small hurdle to overcome, but Bell drove his way to the front for a second-place finish ahead of title contenders Johnny Sauter, Austin Cindric and Matt Crafton.

Christopher Bell's quick rise to NASCAR stardom continues full speed ahead as Joe Gibbs Racing announced in October that Bell would race full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the organization, piloting the No. 20 Toyota Camry in 2018. It was also announced in December that Rheem, a 10-year NASCAR sponsor, would serve as primary sponsor for 23 races next season.