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By Ronald Young Myracenews
Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
In the hard-nosed world of NASCAR, momentum can vanish in a heartbeat. But Adam Stevens isn’t flinching. The veteran crew chief relies on a simple, battle-tested formula with driver Christopher Bell: blunt communication and a relentless, day-by-day grind.
“We talk a lot,” Stevens said, after the No. 20 JGR Toyota picked up the win at Darlington on Sunday. “We spend a lot of time, especially on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Whatever challenge we faced—good or bad—we put a bow on it and lock in on the next fight.”
That grit got tested during the team’s recent winless slump that went for 33 races before capturing the Southern 500. Despite not winning, the team ran well during the NASCAR regular season, scoring seven 2nd place finishes. The biggest setback came in June when Bell’s wrist was injured in a hard crash at Michigan.
Bell’s wrist has steadily healed over the summer and so has the results on the track. In the last 10 races, Bell has recorded 8 top-ten finishes and has led laps in five races.
Slumps test a shop’s resolve, but Stevens treats the dry spell as pure racing reality rather than a crisis.
“You have stretches like that in this sport,” Stevens noted. “Maybe this one was a little unprecedented, but it happened. It didn’t happen because we weren’t doing the right things as a team.”
For Stevens, keeping confidence high means keeping his driver’s mindset sharp and reminding the crew who they are.
“That’s what you have to stress to them,” he said. “You constantly point out, hey, we’re in this position because we do the right things.”
Now, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway looms ahead. It’s a venue that fits their setup, though a mechanical failure two years ago stole a victory right out of their hands.
“It’s a unique place. It’s a short track package, but there’s not another track like it on the circuit,” Stevens added. “It’s a great place to race, it’s got its own challenges, and I think we’re up to it.
When sizing up the competition at Gateway, Stevens doesn’t mince words about who stands in their way.
“We know who we’re racing. Our teammates, the Penske cars, and a couple of others, for sure,” he stated.
Bell’s road to the championship runs straight through his own garage, where his toughest competition may come from his JGR teammates. Currently all four teams are in the top 6 of The Chase standings and all have race wins this season.
Stevens views this internal rivalry as evidence of an organization firing on all cylinders—a vital asset as the postseason moves forward. This shared depth provides a unique, competitive advantage.
With the championship within reach, the next nine races present a critical window; the team must execute flawlessly to translate their momentum into a title.
“We have the capability. We have the program,” Stevens said. “The internal strength of these teams individually is next level right now.”
Heading into Gateway, the mandate from the pit box remains simple: leverage that organizational power, maintain absolute focus through the final playoff stretch, and race to win.
