Overview

• Christopher Bell enters the postseason as the No. 5 seed after three early wins and a long winless stretch, calling 2025 his best chance to win the championship.
• Bell says JGR often finds extra speed in the playoffs, but he also conceded qualifying and stage points have lagged this summer, adding, “No excuse, we should have done better.”
• Analyst Kevin Harvick cautioned that Bell’s late‑race inconsistency could be costly, pointing to missed conversions like Dover despite strong speed.
• In his first JGR season, Chase Briscoe starts the playoffs as the No. 9 seed with a Pocono win, career highs in top‑5s and top‑10s, and six poles, sitting four points above the cutline.
• Briscoe credits JGR’s culture and speed for his newfound title belief, says execution will decide his run, and notes he may need playoff wins to reach the Championship 4 as the opener returns to Darlington, where he won in 2024.