Christopher Bell is a bridesmaid for the seventh time in 2026

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride has been the mantra of Christopher Bell's 2026 season. 

For the seventh time this season and the third time in four races, Bell finished runner-up Sunday at Iowa Speedway, coming up one spot shy of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Ty Gibbs, in the Iowa Corn 350.

Bell was jumped by Gibbs on pit road during the final round of green flag pit stops after Gibbs only took two tires to Bell's four, though Bell was able to drive to Gibbs' rear bumper in the closing laps. 

Same song, different verse for Christopher Bell

But just like at Indianapolis, Atlanta, Chicagoland, Nashville, Charlotte and Phoenix, Bell just didn't have enough to scoot around the race leader and had to settle for second. 

"This is what you call a bad second-place finish for sure," Bell told USA Network. "I don't know. I don't know what else to say. Ty did a really good job... managing the race."

It's not all bad for Bell, however, who did rise from 10th to sixth in the Cup Series standings on Sunday afternoon with a 50-point effort that included a Stage 2 victory. 

Bell's winless drought is now at 30 races going into the Aug. 15 race at Richmond.