Bristol Victory marks Christopher Bell's first win since 2017 behind the wheel of the No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD. This was his third race with Halmar-Friesen Racing, and his post-race interview confirms his appreciation for the team. He also showed regret for the missed win at Watkins Glen in 2025.

At that time, he was substituting for Stewart Friesen, marking his first race under HFR. Although he didn't win that day, the experience showed him how much he valued the team's work.

"Honestly, it's more about the guys, the team, than it is me, and whenever we put the steel together. I was really excited to, you know, race for a team that's relatively newish in the sport, hasn't won a lot.

"And it just makes my heart happy to see how much it means to all the mechanics, and engineers, and team members that work on this truck weekend a week out, and you know it means a lot to them, so it makes me really happy."

The bond with this team started during that substitute role in 2025, and the missed opportunity at Watkins Glen clearly stayed on his mind.

"They do a really good job. I was blown away from day one when I got into Watkins Glen, how competitive it was. I still feel like that one kind of slipped away with all the yellow flags at the end, and it would have been really cool to win that one. But I'm glad we got one here, and who knows? Maybe they'll be more in the future," Bell said.

Stewart Friesen Celebrates a Win From 'Favorite Driver' Christopher Bell

Stewart Friesen, the same guy Christopher Bell once substituted for in 2025, is equally excited by the Bristol win. HFR's co-owner and full-time truck series driver expressed the admiration he has for Bell in a recent post-race conversation with Motorsport.

He added that he loved watching Bell race even before they became teammates. "This is unbelievable, I mean, he's been my favorite driver for a long time. I got to go to Ventura (Speedway) in California and watch him win the Turkey Night Grand Prix (USAC Midget Race) years ago, and sit in the stands, and I was just like, 'man, he is so good."

Seeing that same talent deliver a trophy for Halmar-Friesen Racing made the night at Bristol feel like a true full-circle moment for the whole team.

"So now to have the relationship we do with him and Toyota to have him win in one of our trucks, it’s incredible." That personal connection is exactly what made the Bristol celebration so loud and meaningful for the crew.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Sanskriti Pastor

Edited by

Siddharth Rawat