Christopher Bell on relationship with Kyle Larson: ‘We haven’t communicated’

The NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International was nearly a month ago, but the fallout from it may have yet to fully materialize. As you may recall, dirt-racing rivals and opposing championship contenders for Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, respectively, Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson tangled in the final stage when the No. 5 Chevrolet driver attempted to make a pass for second place on Bell's No. 20 Toyota going into Turn 1. The two cars made contact, sending Bell spinning off the racing surface, while Larson went on to win his fifth race of the 2021 season. RELATED: Meet the playoffs field | Full Darlington schedule Bell recovered for a seventh-place result, but the sting of missing out on his second win of the season was evident — he dodged a text from Larson in the days after the incident. According to the pair on Tuesday, they still haven't hashed things out and it doesn't appear there's any plan to do so before the 10-race 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin this weekend at Darlington Raceway (Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM). "I mean, we haven't communicated," Bell told reporters during NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Media Day. "I guess that's that." Larson, the series' Regular Season Champion and '21 title favorite, seems to have almost put the incident out of mind completely. "It's been a long time since that, I don't even know why we're still talking about it," the points leader said. "But yeah, I'm looking forward to the playoffs and I know he is, too. He's got a great car; I've got a great car. It's both of ours' best opportunities to go chase a championship." MORE: Larson on Bell: 'Not willing to talk to me'  Things have quieted down between Larson and Bell the past three races, with no obvious chances for fireworks to play out on the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway's road course, Michigan International Speedway or Daytona International Speedway. With a grueling Southern 500 and a pair of short tracks to open the Round of 16 — along with Larson's near-guarantee of advancing to the Round of 12 — could now be an fortuitous time for Bell to race Larson a little more aggressively and show his displeasure the old-fashioned way? "I mean, I don't know. The opportunity hasn't presented itself yet," Bell said. "We haven't raced around each other yet. So, I don't know." In other words, stay tuned.