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Bell, a driver who has showcased her ability in bandolero, Legends Cars, and even in Late Models, will rejuvenate his Motorsports career by participating in a Limited Late Model schedule with Mooresville, N.C.-based Performance Vehicle Works starting this Saturday night at the famed Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
After spending several years driving race cars for other teams, Bell will bring her Late Model program in-house, where Performance Vehicle Works and program manager Timmy McKichan will oversee it.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me,” said Bell. “To launch our own team with the assistance and leadership of Performance Vehicle Works has been a lot of hard work, but now it’s time to get out on the race track and showcase what we can deliver.”
As a professional race car driver, Bell recognizes that returning to a Late Model after a brief hiatus presents its own challenges. Still, she is eager to get on the track and prove that despite her lack of recent on-track activity, she hasn’t missed a beat.
“I’ve worked very hard over the winter to prepare for this weekend,” added Bell. “There’s a lot of discipline along with a lot of homework that goes into making any race weekend successful, but I am focused and ready for the chance to get on the race track and prove myself.”
Bell, a native of Raleigh, N.C., admits that she doesn’t expect to be celebrating in Victory Lane on Saturday night, but she is aiming for a trouble-free night as she gets reacclimated to the fundamentals of short-track racing.
“I’d like to think if everything works in our favor, we can capture a top-five finish on Saturday night,” sounded Bell. “That would be a significant boost for us and prepare for a busy April and look ahead to the summer stretch.
“The goal is to make gradual improvements throughout the year. By the end of the season, I’d love to say that our team, along with Performance Vehicle Works, are winners. This relationship has been great so far, and I know that Timmy and his team want to see us succeed as well. I’m just ready to get started.”
To prepare Bell, 27, for Saturday night’s thunder, she recently participated in a test at Tri-County (N.C.) Speedway with her No. 05 Chevrolet.
Throughout the session, the team worked on a variable number of tasks, while observing their driver improve her lap times throughout the day and in changing weather conditions.
“It felt good to shake down the car and get some laps around Tri-County,” mentioned Bell. “We were able to make some changes, and not only did the car respond, but my driving line responded as well with the adjustments, and our lap time got better.
“The goal for Hickory this weekend is the same. We want to unload and just keep making forward progress, then have a clean and smart race and see where we land when the checkered flag waves. From there, we’ll evaluate the race and work hard to be better for the next one.”
McKichan believes that Bell will surprise people in 2025.
“She can do it,” he said. “There’s no doubt in mind. We’re not expecting to set the world on fire in our first race or two, but we will get better as the season progresses, and we’ll have an opportunity to chase that checkered flag.
“I can’t thank Hannah and her team enough for allowing Performance Vehicle Works to be along for this journey, and we’re looking forward to Saturday night.”
Bell’s Limited Late Model schedule will continue to be supported by her long-term partner, Alliance Packaging.
For more on Hannah Bell, please like her on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow her on Instagram (@Hgbell) and TikTok (@HannahBell05).
Racing begins at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night, March 29, 2025, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET with coverage available on FloRacing.com. |
