Bell wins on Daytona road course
Christopher Bell pulled off a stunner Sunday on the Daytona road course, passing Joey Logano coming to the white flag and winning the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at Daytona International Speedway. It was Bell’s first Cup Series win in his just second year at NASCAR’s top level.
“This is definitely one of the highlights of my life,” said Bell, who drives the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. “I’m just so thankful to be here. I feel like I’ve prepared my whole life for this moment. Last year was a learning curve for me, and I’m just grateful for the opportunity to run in the Cup Series.”
Bell ran up front all afternoon but found himself nearly four seconds behind Logano with five laps to go.
However, Bell managed to run down the 2018 Cup champion, stringing together fast lap after fast lap on fresher tires before eventually passing Logano with two laps to go.
“He’s the one who got through with (fresh) tires,” said Logano, who took the lead with 15 laps to go after the leaders decided to pit. “When he starts catching you a second-per-lap, it gets hard.”
Bell, 26, said he didn’t think he would catch Logano as the laps started to tick down. “I didn’t think I had enough,” Bell said. “I didn’t think I’d get there. Man, I didn’t believe it.” Going for his fifth consecutive road win, Chase Elliott had the car to beat early, leading the first 27 green flag laps. However, a late-race decision to pit under caution might have cost Elliott the win. The defending Cup Series champion got back up to fifth with eight laps to go but spun out while battling Brad Keselowski and finished 21st.
Denny Hamlin finished third, followed by Kurt Busch and Keselowski.
Daytona 500 champion Michael McDowell started on the front row but locked his brakes and overshot Turn 1 on the first lap, going off the course and well off the pace. McDowell would rebound, though, and come home with an eighth-place finish.