William Byron and Christopher Bell ‘lacking consistency’ for NASCAR title challenge

2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick believes both William Byron and Christopher Bell lack the consistency to mount a sustained title assault.

Hendrick Motorsports driver Byron started the season with a victory in the Daytona 500 and remains the standings leader heading into this weekend’s 21st round in Dover.

But Byron has added just four podiums to his tally since his triumph in NASCAR’s crown jewel event, while he was classified outside the top 25 in four out of the last six races.

Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing stalwart Bell became the first driver since Kyle Larson in 2021 to achieve a three-peat by winning at Atlanta, Austin, and Phoenix on consecutive weekends.

But much like Byron, his campaign has also been marred by a lack of consistency, leaving him sixth in the championship, one spot behind his teammate Denny Hamlin.

Harvick says the up-and-down form shown by both drivers this year mirrors the patterns they’ve displayed throughout their careers. While acknowledging their ability to win races, he believes they must raise their level to become true title contenders.

"I believe that Christopher Bell and William Byron go through this same streak every year of starting off strong, off in the middle, and then you never know what's going to show up at the end of the year,” Harvick said on his podcast.

“It was a solid run, but they haven't been consistently solid. And you know, if you're going to win these championships, you have got to be able to find that consistency of when you have an off day, not have it be a catastrophe."