You might have thought the Ambetter Health 400 was all wrapped up, but before moving on to the next race, there’s Christopher Bell’s unexpected message after his win that’s worth noting. We’re all familiar with NASCAR’s unpredictable nature, and Bell’s comments reflect that same sentiment.

On one side, fans forgot to even blink for a second during an intense battle between Kyle Larson and Austin Cindric, initially many even assumed Ryan Blaney would take the lead since he started from pole. Moreover, there was also a heated exchange between Joey Logano and Kyle Busch, but the way Bell’s No. 20 car took over on the final lap sent chills down the spines of his competitors and sparked celebrations in his camp. Despite navigating this win, Bell showed uneasiness before jumping to the conclusion. The reason is simple: NASCAR’s history is full of surprises.

Christopher Bell’s honest remark over his recent Atlanta celebration

Let’s just say NASCAR has been twisting its logic and rules when it comes to how the races are called. Last weekend at the Daytona 500 they let the race go green despite a big wreck, and this time around they were quick to jump on the button to throw the caution at Atlanta. The Ambetter Health 400, marked by 50 lead changes and multiple crashes, culminated in an overtime thriller where Bell edged out Kyle Larson and Carson Hocevar. As the caution flag waved on the final lap, Bell found himself in the lead, capturing his 10th career Cup Series win and his first on a drafting track. 

Although the JGR driver was confident that he was in the lead when the yellow flashed, he wasn’t keen on celebrating before officials gave the final verdict. “I was just super, like, I don’t know. I saw the yellow flag on the fence, and I was paying attention to the guys beside me. And I felt like I had the lead whenever the yellow flag on the fence came on. But, Stevens, my spotter came on and said that the finish is under review. So I’m like, oh my gosh. what’s going on? How is this gonna work? So I was more nervous and, like, just not understanding what was going on.”

Christopher Bell’s reaction to his victory at the Ambetter Health 400 in Atlanta highlights the growing unease among NASCAR drivers about the sport’s officiating. When asked if he could enjoy the moment as a fan did. Bell’s comments underscore the fear of being caught in NASCAR’s blunders. In Atlanta, a caution flag on the final lap led to a chaotic finish, with Christopher Bell securing the win under yellow conditions. This constant flip-flopping by the NASCAR race control started at the Daytona 500 where Erik Jones’ Duel win was snatched away by a controversial call.

Then came the 500 where officials allowed the race to be green despite a massive wreck. Well, the fans were hoping things would take a turn for good with a fresh race weekend, but NASCAR found themselves in a similar mess. The Xfinity race ended similarly to the Daytona 500 with NASCAR allowing drivers to race back to the finish line. And then there’s Sunday’s ruling where they chose to throw the caution and hand the win to Christopher Bell. It’s as if NASCAR just can’t make their mind up and this inconsistent ruling has led to widespread criticism, rightly so.

Bell’s senior teammate Hamlin has always been vocal about his views on NASCAR’s officiating, and his longstanding circumstances with them. Whether it be as an owner of 23XI Racing or as a driver. But in the case of the recent Atlanta race, he surprisingly stood in support of NASCAR’s decision to end the race under caution. Despite facing a backlash from fans who felt the caution call was inconsistent with previous decisions, such as at Daytona, Hamlin remains steadfast in his support for NASCAR’s safety-focused approach. 

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Denny Hamlin defends NASCAR’s controversial Atlanta call 

It has only been a week or two since Denny Hamlin expressed his serious disagreement with NASCAR’s decision at the Daytona 500. During the race, officials continued under green conditions despite a serious multi-car wreck. Hamlin’s criticism went beyond questioning the fairness of the competition, focusing primarily on NASCAR’s consistently inconsistent approach to decision-making that can impact drivers’ safety.

Where he expressed his frustration stating, “People have been talking about it being inconsistent, if a wreck happens before the white they will be quick to throw the yellow, and if it happens after the white they will be late to throw the yellow that’s just the way this is typically trending. So get used to it. I think I was the only one that crashed hard and was sitting there in turns three and four. Was I going to affect the finish? No, I thought that the dispatch vehicles were there in a timely manner, my issue was that I couldn’t get the car re-fired.” 

Although the race control decision to end the race under caution at Atlanta has stirred the pot, Hamlin believes NASCAR made the right call. And, he believes that most of the drivers in the Cup garage would agree with his stance. “I can assure you there’s not a driver in the field who would want that race to stay green, given the scenarios that were going on… The race had to end under caution,…Let’s at least applaud them on making the right call for safety, because safety should always be number one and entertainment should be number two.”

Let’s hope the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway sets a precedent on how NASCAR would officiate future incidents and make consistent decisions.