Did Christopher Bell spoil Martin Truex Jr. replacement at Joe Gibbs Racing for 2025 NASCAR Cup season?

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell made some news in Friday's media availability ahead of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series USA TODAY 301 race at New Hampshire, even if it was accidental.

Bell let it slip that "Chase" is expected to replace the retiring Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19 JGR Toyota in 2025 while answering a question about leadership among the JGR teams after Truex's retirement following the 2024 season.

Chase Briscoe, currently driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, is the top candidate to replace Truex next season, FOX Sports reported last weekend after Truex announced his impending retirement. No official announcement has been made about the No. 19 car next season, though Bell all but confirmed it.

"Week in and week out, a different guy may lead the discussion (in team meetings). Every time we go into our Monday meetings, it could be whoever has a good race that week. Plenty of times it has been Ty, plenty of times it has been Martin, it has been myself, it has been Denny. So, I don't think that there really is a leadership role in that aspect," Bell said Friday. "Whenever Chase comes into the car...."

Bell stopped and tried to play it off with a smile, but the cat was out of the bag. The No. 20 driver laughed it off, then continued on answering the question.

"Whenever we have a new driver into the 19 car, whoever that is, their experience level will dictate how much input they have in the team," Bell said in between laughs.

A potential move to Joe Gibbs Racing makes sense for both Briscoe and the race team. Stewart-Haas Racing announced last month that it is shutting down following the 2024 season, though co-owner Gene Haas announced Thursday that he will continue in the sport with a one-car Cup Series team along with a two-car Xfinity Series team.

The driver of the No. 14 Ford is 17th in the Cup point standings this year with one top-five finish and five top-10 finishes in 17 races in 2024. It's a bounce back season for the 29-year-old former Xfinity Series champion; Briscoe finished 30th in points in 2023 following a good 2022 season that featured his first career Cup win and a ninth-place points finish.

Still, don't expect Bell to add team spokesman to his racing resume any time soon.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Christopher Bell spoils Martin Truex Jr replacement in 2025 NASCAR season