Christopher Bell’s Late-Race Heroics Secure Another NASCAR Victory
Mar 2, 2025, 07:48 PM ET
AUSTIN, Texas — If there’s one thing Christopher Bell is proving this season, it’s that he’s a master of seizing opportunities when they matter most. In a thrilling display of skill and strategy, Bell managed to pass Kyle Busch with just five laps remaining, holding off a fierce challenge from Daytona 500 winner William Byron to clinch NASCAR’s first road course race of the season at the Circuit of the Americas.
This victory marks Bell’s second consecutive win, following his overtime triumph in Atlanta just a week prior. The Oklahoma native, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, showcased his prowess by maneuvering his Toyota past Busch and then fending off Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, as well as the Toyota of 2023 race winner Tyler Reddick from 23X1 Racing.
With this win, Bell has now secured his 11th career victory and continues to be a multiple-race winner for the fourth consecutive season. Meanwhile, Busch, who led an impressive 43 of the 95 laps in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, saw his winless streak extend to 60 races, dating back to 2023.
“These road course races are just so much fun,” Bell remarked after the race. “Kyle was doing such a good job running his race. He bobbled and allowed me to get out front. When he did, I just said, ‘Don’t beat yourself.'”
The race was a nail-biter, with the potential for a crash that could have thrown the field into chaos with a late caution flag. Bell and Busch have a history of heated collisions in Austin, notably last year when Busch confronted Bell over contact in a race where Bell finished second. This time, however, the race concluded cleanly.
“Amazing to have such respectful, clean, hard racing. It was a beautiful way to end a race,” Bell said, reflecting on the intense competition.
Byron, who was pushing hard for the win, acknowledged the challenge of overtaking Bell. “I couldn’t never get beside [Bell]. We’ve always raced well together, I didn’t want to move him blatantly,” Byron explained.
Even Busch had words of praise for Bell’s performance. “I’ll give Christopher credit,” Busch said. “He ran me really hard.”
Bell’s crew chief, Adam Stevens, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to compete for wins every week, especially with upcoming races in Phoenix and Las Vegas. “We don’t think there’s a track that we go to that we don’t have a chance to win,” Stevens stated. “We have everything we need to win every single weekend.”
Meanwhile, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott had a rollercoaster of a race. Starting third, he quickly dropped to the back after a spin caused by Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain in the first turn. However, Elliott fought back through the field to finish fourth.
Connor Zilisch, making his Cup Series debut for Trackhouse, had a day full of ups and downs. The 18-year-old started 14th but fell back after contact on the first lap. He managed to climb back into the top 15 by the start of the third stage, only for his day to end abruptly. Zilisch couldn’t avoid a spin by teammate Daniel Suarez on Lap 50, resulting in a crash into the wall and a fiery end to his race.
Elliott’s Road Course Drought
Chase Elliott, who leads active drivers with seven road course victories, hasn’t won one since 2021. He also has yet to secure a road course or street race victory with a Next Gen car. Despite making up 17 positions in the final stage, Elliott was frustrated by the early bump from Chastain that potentially cost him a shot at the win.
“It was the first lap of the dang race,” Elliott lamented. “Who knows? I would have loved to have been in the mix. Easy to say when you’ve had a bad day.”
Series Future at COTA
As NASCAR looks to the future, the decision to return to Austin in 2026 looms. The Circuit of the Americas has been a popular venue, hosting F1 since 2012 and MotoGP since 2013. Speedway Motorsports, which rents the facility for race week, is keen to continue the partnership.
- “We’ll take a look at ticket renewals, feedback from the fans who attended the race and the overall results before we talk with NASCAR about next year’s schedule,” said Mike Burch, chief operating officer for Speedway Motorsports. “One of the biggest factors will be how the drivers compete on the new National Course, a move we made to put more action and laps in front of the fans.”
Up Next
The Cup Series returns to ovals next Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
Originally Written by: ESPN.com
