Christopher Bell absolutely crushed it at Darlington Raceway, nabbing his first Southern 500 victory after passing Kyle Larson with only 12 laps left on Sunday. This win wasn’t just any victory, it was his first since the Bristol Night Race way back on September 13 of last year, a sweet relief after enduring a brutal seven runner-up finishes across 26 races this season. Talk about finally breaking through, especially to open The Chase postseason!
Toyota Dominance Was Unmissable After Bell’s Clutch Move
Bell, driving the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, put on a clinic after a brief red-flag condition for light rain. That pass on Kyle Larson wasn’t just skillful, it was perfectly timed, setting him up to beat his teammate, Ty Gibbs, by a solid 1.038 seconds. It sealed the 77th running of the Southern 500, a true crown jewel race. And get this: Toyota just keeps winning at Darlington, marking their fourth straight Cup race victory there! Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and Larson, who gambled by staying out on older tires and led on the final restart with 24 laps left, just couldn’t keep pace as Bell roared past. Even in Stage 1, Toyota’s strength was undeniable, with Reddick, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, and Bell leading the way, and Blaney rounding out the top five. Camry drivers locked up five of the top six spots, with Chase Briscoe in sixth.
Chaos and Pit Stop Heartbreak Plagued the Field
While Bell was celebrating, other contenders had a seriously rough Sunday. Points leader Denny Hamlin finished a disappointing 18th after a chaotic race. He battled right-side issues during tire changes, then got nudged by Michael McDowell, smacked the frontstretch wall, and ended up the last car on the lead lap thanks to toe-link damage. Brutal! William Byron had an even worse day, suffering his fourth DNF and finishing 37th after spinning on Lap 316 and facing an engine issue post-pit stops. You hate to see that kind of luck hit early in the postseason. Bubba Wallace, who showed real promise by leading Stage 1 and battling teammate Reddick, saw his momentum cool. Reddick himself had a nasty loose lug issue on his left front during a Stage 2 pit stop, forcing his Camry to be backed into the box and costing him valuable time. Even Larson, who had a five-second advantage over Josh Berry when he pitted on Lap 280, saw that lead vanish when Zane Smith wrecked on Lap 283, bringing out the fourth caution of the race, with Todd Gilliland momentarily leading. And let’s not forget Carson Hocevar, who spun out Brad Keselowski, ending Stage 1 under a new NASCAR rule. Talk about total chaos!
What a way for Christopher Bell to kick off The Chase, right? Grabbing a crown jewel win after so many close calls? That’s the kind of momentum that can carry a driver deep into the postseason. The rest of the field, especially those who struggled like Hamlin and Byron, better figure things out fast. This race just proved that The Chase is going to be an absolute rollercoaster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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