Bell wins, Gibbs on defense and oh, allow me to introduce myself

I must admit, I'm still having trouble not taking a photo every time I'm within view of the ocean.

The locals say it will get old. I have my doubts.

And if it does, what's the point in being here?

I felt the same way driving into the infield at Daytona International Speedway for the first time last week. The moment, and the resulting story, was about Daniel Dye, a local ARCA racer who signed to race full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next year.

But selfishly, I took a few moments to myself too. Standing atop a platform as sunset fell, casting a shadow over Turn 4 and parts of the tri-oval, I snapped a few more photos from a vantage point I'd only long dreamt of having.

Trackhouse out to prove it belongs: Marks, Trackhouse Racing reveling in crashing championship party at Phoenix

Bell wins a race, Chastain wins the day: Ross Chastain rides wall to championship shot; btw, Christopher Bell wins again

While many profess that those sorts of feelings fade over time, I certainly hope they never do. I've been blessed with the opportunity to write about my favorite sport, little more than hauler's length from the world's most famous racetrack. I also have the chance to lead a staff full of talented, great guys.

Like an ocean view, I don't and won't take any of it for granted. Hey, when you've spent 38 years staring at the side of a mountain and watching NASCAR on TV, both the vast expanses of the Atlantic and a sacred cathedral of auto racing tend to stop you in your tracks.

If you're a reader of our section, you've noticed my byline starting to creep into your papers and onto your website in the last couple of weeks. I guess I've been the Kevin Harvick of area newspaper writing — Mr. Where-did-he-come-from?

Well, I'll tell you, and we might as well get this out of the way now.

I hail from Cross Lanes, West Virginia and until now, I was a lifelong state native. I'm still a proud graduate of West Virginia University.

Just this one time, I'll take a moment for all of the obligatory jokes to run through your mind. Trust me, I've heard 'em all but as you can see from my shiny, new column sig, all of my teeth are there.

They're real, and they're spectacular.

And if you're still struggling, I'll remind you — Civil War champs since 1865.

We good? Good.

As you'll soon find out, like Ross Chastain on the last lap of an elimination race, I only know one speed. I'm the son, grandson and nephew of coal miners — I know how to work.

That's my promise to you. I can't guarantee Pulitzer Prizes or that our staff will cover every local game, but I can guarantee you that we will work. There's really no other reason to be in this business.

Thankfully, I've inherited a talented staff that, as you well know, is more than willing to do just that. I'm already proud to work alongside them.

But their work does the talking. And so too should mine. After all, nobody hired me to write about me. An autobiographer I am not.

So, on to my duties. Here's a look at a few things to monitor during NASCAR championship weekend at Phoenix:

1. For When the Bell Tolls

That's right, it hasn't been so much about whom, but when for Christopher Bell, who might as well put a dash in between the numbers on his Toyota Camry this weekend. After all, he's 2-0 in the last two elimination races.

If he should move to 3-0 on Sunday, it would be quite the feat. Bell is averaging a 17th-place finish in his last five starts at the 1-mile tri-oval, though he did win a race there once in five tries in the Xfinity Series.

But if we've learned anything this year, it's that not much matters when it comes to trends in this new car. Kyle Larson finished second at Martinsville last week, a place he'd all but proclaimed as his worst race track.

If you're counting Bell out, you're braver than me. More on that a little later.

2. Dibs on Gibbs?

No way Ty Gibbs finishes Saturday's Xfinity Championship race, much less wins, right? Seems like the the real race may be who can get to his back bumper first.

The 20-year old that's seemingly destined to operate his grandfather's No. 18 machine in the Cup Series next season, is currently No. 1 on nearly every competitor's hit list. That includes his own teammates after a dust-up with Sammy Smith and a flat-out, take-out of Brandon Jones late in the going at Martinsville last week.

Those incidents were just the latest example of Gibbs rubbing fenders and competitors the wrong way.

He was apologetic during interviews Thursday, but acknowledged that retaliation was a possibility.

“It's not been addressed but you know if that's the course of action [Jones] wants to take and you know, I can't control that," Gibbs said. "I can only do the best I can and do the best I can in the present now and work as hard as I can to change you know, things and situations and be more aware in the future.”

But there's no guarantee Gibbs, as talented as he is, will have a shot at a championship in the future. Good luck trying to win with one eye out the windshield and one in the rear-view mirror.

3. Will an early win pay dividends?

Joey Logano won the first race of the round of 8 in Las Vegas, clinching his spot in the Championship 4 before any drama at Homestead or Martinsville could affect him. He quietly piloted to 18th- and sixth-place finishes in the two following races.

But was the focus of Team Penske's playoff combatant elsewhere during those two weeks? Say, the desert?

Maybe, so. It certainly couldn't hurt, knowing the last two races were gravy and being able to put extra time into Phoenix prep. But could Logano and his team have possibly found a sudden secret to success in just two weeks?

We're about to find out.

Predictions

First, that a non-championship driver will win Sunday's race. I mean, with the way this season's gone, that has to happen, right?

In fact, let's make it another new winner. It's just the way it has to go. So, Ryan Blaney finally wins, just one race too late.

As for the championships, Bell isn't about to fool me a third time, so I'll ride with him to hoist the driver's-sized trophy. Hope he's found time to do his squats. Luckily, he has a new grandfather clock to practice with.

I'll also take Noah Gragson on Saturday and Zane Smith on Friday night in the Truck Series Finale.

Or should I say … checks schedule …  Saturday morning?

I know it's in Phoenix, but why the hell does that race start at 10 p.m. again?

Don't they know I have a sunrise to take pictures of?

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR championship predictions and an introduction from a new Floridian