Friesen Out Indefinitely; Bell to Substitute at Watkins Glen
NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell is set to substitute for Stewart Friesen at Watkins Glen International following Friesen’s serious injuries sustained during a crash at Autodrome Drummond. The incident occurred during a Super DIRTcar Series feature, where Friesen suffered an open-book pelvic fracture and a right leg fracture after his Big Block Modified flipped and was struck at high speed in Turn 3.
Friesen has been hospitalized in New York and has undergone multiple surgeries as he begins his recovery. His Halmar Friesen Racing team remains competitive in the Craftsman Truck Series, having secured a playoff position with a win at Michigan International Speedway in June. Maintaining that momentum is critical for the team as they aim for the owners’ championship.
"I was honored to receive the call to run this truck for Stewart, a fellow dirt racer and Toyota teammate," said Bell, acknowledging his new role. "I’ve spent time with the team these past few days and we are working hard to continue the great season Stewart has had and deliver a great finish for him and his partners."
Christopher Bell, who has established himself as one of the standout drivers of the Next Gen era with 11 victories and two Championship 4 appearances since 2022, is a former Truck Series champion. He claimed the title in 2017 with Kyle Busch Motorsports. However, Bell has only made four Truck starts since moving up to the Xfinity Series in 2018, the latest being a fifth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 2024.
Halmar Friesen Racing will announce driver details for subsequent races after Watkins Glen.
