Bell punches his ticket to championship race
Victory at Homestead puts him in final four
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Christopher Bell wasn’t thinking of winning the race.
Balance issues with his Toyota caused him to fall to 22nd after Stage 2 on Sunday at Homestead-miami Speedway. But Bell took advantage of a late caution in Stage 3 and stormed from behind for his second win of the season.
“I can’t even say I was thinking of a win at any point in the day except maybe the last 10 laps,” Bell said.
Bell took the lead with 15 laps to go and held off Ryan Blaney for a win that locked him into next month’s NASCAR Championship finale.
Bell, who entered the race below the playoff cutline, will compete in his second straight championship race. He beat Blaney by 1.651 seconds Sunday and only led 26 of 267 laps in a chaotic race in which three playoff drivers did not finish.
“Today was a whirlwind for sure,” said Bell, who drives the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing. “To be able to overcome and to be in that bad of a spot … it was just incredible that difference a couple pit stop adjustments will do to your car. “
There were 25 lead changes — one fewer than the track’s record of 26 set in 2011.
Blaney, who led for 53 laps, moved above the cutline — up from seventh. Tyler Reddick and William Byron finished third and fourth and are still vying for a spot in the Nov. 5 title-deciding finale.
Six drivers will compete for the remaining two spots next week in the final race of the round of eight at Martinsville Speedway.
Kyle Larson, last year’s Homestead winner, was out of the race at Lap 214 after he slammed into the pit road barriers trying to overtake Blaney for the lead. Larson was going too fast after heading into pit lane and said he didn’t expect Blaney to slow down as early as he did.
“I was just maximizing all I could,” said a frustrated Larson afterward. “I hate it for Ryan more than anything. He was doing a super good job out front.”