AVONDALE, Ariz. – Christopher Bell positioned himself for victory ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammate Denny Hamlin following a late race restart, putting him in a promising stance for his third consecutive win in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, a subsequent restart intensified the tension, even making team owner Joe Gibbs uneasy.
Bell managed to secure his position in a close-knit race against Hamlin, clinching victory by just 0.049 seconds. This win makes him the first driver to achieve three consecutive wins in the NextGen car within the NASCAR Cup Series and marks the second-tightest race in Phoenix Raceway’s history.
Reflecting on his strategy, Bell commented, “It worked out about as opposite as I could have drawn it up in my head. But the races that are contested like that, looking back, are the ones that mean the most to you.”
Starting from the 11th position in the 312-mile challenge, Bell had previously secured wins in Atlanta and Circuit of America. He was quick to advance towards the lead early in the race and maintained a front-line position throughout. A pivotal late caution allowed him to take the lead coming off the pits.
Bell successfully held his ground on two late restart events, narrowly outpacing Hamlin to secure the win. He is now the first driver since Kyle Larson in 2021 to win three consecutive races and just the fourth in history to win three out of the first four races in a season, following Kevin Harvick’s example in 2018.
Crew Chief Adam Stevens acknowledged the team’s success: “We’ve had four races this year, put ourselves in position in all four and managed to win three, which is a pretty remarkable batting average — something that will be hard to maintain, I believe.”
This particular race at Phoenix marked the first occurrence since Richmond last year where teams were allowed two sets of option tires. These red tire options boast superior grip, although they begin to degrade after roughly 35 laps, adding another strategic element to the race.
Some drivers, including Joey Logano and Ryan Preece, opted for the red tires early, experiencing temporary leads before falling back when the tires wore out. Timing his strategy well, Bell saved his red tires for the final stretch, taking full advantage during a restart with 17 laps left. Nevertheless, another caution made the end more climactic than Bell’s team preferred.
Owner Joe Gibbs shared his feelings about the final moments, “I was ready to upchuck,” indicating just how nerve-wracking the final laps were.
In the final laps, Hamlin, piloting his No. 20 Toyota, challenged Bell fiercely. Despite slight bumps and nudges, Bell barely managed to remain ahead, wobbling past the checkered flag for his 12th career Cup Series win after leading 105 laps.
Hamlin commented, “I kind of had position on the 20, but I knew he was going to ship it in there. We just kind of ran out of race track there.” Following Bell and Hamlin, Kyle Larson secured third, Josh Berry fourth, and Chris Buescher completed the top five.
In other race highlights, Katherine Legge became the first woman to race in the Cup Series since Danica Patrick at the Daytona 500 seven years back. Despite the groundbreaking moment, Legge’s race was marred by setbacks. Adjustments made to her car overnight didn’t pan out, leading her to struggle before a spin on lap 215 ended her race in the 30th position.
Joey Logano faced a setback early on after a restart misjudgment put him at the back of the field. Despite roaring back using red tires for momentum and clinching the lead momentarily, his initial error kept him from finishing higher than 13th.
Ryan Preece’s early switch to red tires initially propelled him to third, but degradation had him drop back before a resurgence saw another brief lead. Ultimately, he finished in 15th.
The NASCAR Cup Series will continue at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Bell has the chance to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to claim four consecutive wins.
