HAMPTON, Ga. — Christopher Bell marked a significant victory for both himself and Joe Gibbs Racing after a thrilling return to form at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bell managed to secure the win during an overtime finish, narrowly defeating Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson on Sunday in a highly competitive NASCAR Cup Series event.
Bell, driving his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, led only on the final lap, gaining a slim advantage on the outside just as the caution light activated due to a wreck involving Josh Berry. “That last lap of the race we were at our best,” Bell stated, reflecting on his team’s performance under pressure. This victory was notably the first for Joe Gibbs Racing since Bell’s last win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway nearly a year earlier on June 23, 2024. Bell expressed relief at silencing conversations about the team’s winless streak: “I’m very happy to end that narrative,” he said.
Despite having ten career Cup wins, Bell admitted that the Atlanta race was not one his team had initially targeted for breaking the drought. Historically, superspeedway racing has not been his strong suit, yet he managed to produce a remarkable comeback after starting in 32nd place and facing challenges throughout the day. His crew chief, Adam Stevens, voiced his surprise at the late surge. “I thought we were toast. But Bell just kept his head down and really dug deep all day,” Stevens remarked.
Austin Cindric, in his Team Penske Ford, led the race until a collision with Daytona 500 champion William Byron, occurring with just three laps to go, set up the overtime. After the race, Hocevar faced criticism for his aggressive racing style from various drivers, including Ryan Blaney. Reflecting on his performance, Hocevar said, “I feel like we put ourselves in the perfect opportunity to try and win a race,” despite ultimately finishing short of his first career victory.
Kyle Busch finished in seventh place, further extending his winless streak in the Cup Series. Although he claimed victory in the Atlanta Truck Series race the day before, he is still seeking his first Cup win since 2023, which marked the end of his 19-year streak of at least one win per season. On the other hand, Larson struggled in Atlanta, having faced accidents in multiple races and following that trend this time, even after qualifying in 17th position.
In a broader context, Larson managed to secure a stage win late in the race after overcoming a series of setbacks. He commented on the race, saying, “Proud of the effort today by everybody on our HendrickCars.com Chevy,” highlighting the team’s resilience.
Notably, Chase Elliott encountered his own difficulties, crashing late in the second stage while attempting to maintain his position in the top ten. His collision ended Brad Keselowski’s race as well, leading Elliott to finish in 18th place. Daniel Suarez, who had secured a stunning victory against Blaney and Busch in earlier races, faced misfortune too when he was caught in a multi-car crash early in the third stage, which involved several other drivers.
As the race progressed, Blaney, who spun out late on, was able to recover and eventually finish in fourth place. The event’s grand marshal was rock musician Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, who had the honor of starting the engines for the race.
In other exciting news, the 23XI Racing team announced a multi-year contract with Corey Heim as a development driver, who is set to compete in several Cup Series races with the No. 67 Toyota and participate in Xfinity races as well. His first Cup race under this new agreement will take place at Kansas Speedway on May 11.
Looking ahead, the Cup Series is set to travel to Austin, Texas, for the next race at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday.
