HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Christopher Bell will celebrate Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway by honoring his racing mentor, Rick Ferkel, with a pair of throwback schemes designed to replicate The Ohio Traveler’s most recognizable car designs.
Bell will pilot the No. 19 Sport Clips Toyota GR Supra in Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race before sporting a vintage Ferkel sprint car look on his No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry XSE for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Track Too Tough to Tame.
Bell credits Ferkel with giving him his introduction and break into the sprint car racing world. As Bell continued his climb up the ranks, he continued to rely on Ferkel’s guidance along the way.
Ferkel was also an original member of the World of Outlaws. Ferkel passed away on January 1, 2024, at the age of 84. Bell honors Ferkel on a regular basis with a special decal on the dash of his No. 20 car every weekend.
“Rick really helped put me on the national scene by giving me my first opportunity in a full-blown sprint car,” said Bell. “He hired me to drive a sprint car when I was a 16-year-old kid. I moved in with him and his family for a while. After I left Rick Ferkel Racing, he became a life mentor, a driver coach, and someone that I would lean on every week for advice, and he’d check in to see how I was doing. Rick always preached to me to make sure I drove as hard as I could at all times, and I’m honored to get to pay tribute to Rick at Darlington.”
Both of Bell’s Darlington car designs will feature a silver greenhouse area to mimic the look and feel of a sprint car wing. Rick’s name will ride above the name rail and each car will emphasize the number “0” in honor of the man who made it legendary in sprint car racing.
Cathy Ferkel, Rick’s wife of over 49 years, will be in attendance Darlington race weekend along with several of Rick’s children and grandchildren.
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