Christopher Bell Finds an ‘Unexpected Ally’ as He Helps Leave Denny Hamlin in the Dumps at Phoenix

In NASCAR’s storied history, some of the most memorable moments come when fierce competitors find themselves unlikely allies in the heat of battle. Sunday’s Phoenix finish echoed the spirit similar to the 1979 Daytona 500 conclusion, which included a last-lap crash and a fight between drivers Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison, along with Donnie’s brother Bobby. Similarly, Christopher Bell stood in victory lane for the third consecutive week, but the path there included an ironic twist.

Coming out of turns 3 and 4 on the final lap, Hamlin was right there on the high lane with Bell. The driver of the No. 20 car did run Hamlin up a tad bit, nothing egregious like Aric Almirola did a day ago. But, it was enough to set up a photo finish. As the two cars lined up together coming to the start-finish line, it looked like it would be another close like Atlanta last year. However, Kyle Larson for some reason barged into the rear of the No. 20 car, and that push was enough for Bell to snag the win by a mere 0.049 seconds.

The second-closest finish in Phoenix Raceway history. “I do know how I won,” Bell admitted in his post-race interview with Bob Pockrass. “The five car gave me a great shove coming off of turn four to push me to the line, and that was the difference maker.” When Pockrass pointed out the irony that Larson and Bell are supposed to be rivals, Bell simply replied with a grin, “Thank you, Kyle.”

The Joe Gibbs driver made NASCAR history Sunday, becoming the first driver in the Next Gen era to win three consecutive races. Bell’s victory at Phoenix followed wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Circuit of the Americas. Interestingly this feat was last accomplished by Kyle Larson during his championship season in 2021.

Bell’s path to victory was anything but straightforward. Starting 11th in the 312-mile race, he methodically worked his way through the field, finishing fourth in Stage 1 before capturing the Stage 2 win. The final stage became a strategic chess match involving tire compounds. As Bell explained, “We went green with the red tires with what, 35 to go or something, and I’m like the worst-case scenario is if we go 20 laps or so and get a yellow flag… and that exact scenario happened.”

The race culminated in a dramatic two-lap shootout between Bell and teammate Denny Hamlin. “I thought I had lost the race coming to the white flag on the bottom with Denny on my outside,” Bell recalled. “And then once again felt like I had lost the race coming to the checkered flag down the back straightaway whenever Denny was on the outside.” But the crucial push from Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet made all the difference, helping Bell’s No. 20 Toyota cross the line first despite Hamlin’s best efforts on the outside lane.

Bell’s achievement puts him in elite company, becoming one of the 29 drivers in NASCAR’s history to win three times joining legends like Kevin Harvick (2018), Jeff Gordon (1996), Bill Elliott (1992), Dale Earnhardt Sr. (1987) and many more. The last Cup Series driver to win four consecutive races was Jimmie Johnson in 2007, setting up a potential historic run next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Larson, who himself was the most recent driver to win three consecutive Cup races before Bell matched the feat, offered genuine praise for his competitor’s achievement. “I think it’s, well, first off, it’s extremely tough to win two in a row, I feel like in the Next Gen era,” Larson said. “And for them to win three in a row is really impressive. Their team is just strong. Their race cars are really fast. Bell’s a phenomenal race car driver, obviously.”

NASCAR’s History of Photo Finishes and Unexpected Heroes

Bell’s dramatic victory during the Phoenix race became one of NASCAR’s iconic finishes in racing history. A similar scenario occurred during the 1976 Daytona 500 when David Pearson brought his damaged car across the finish just 30 mph after striking Richard Petty in the final turn. Even during the 2007 Daytona 500 Kevin Harvick beat Mark Martin by a minimal margin of 0.020 seconds while a flipped Clint Bowyer car overturned at the finish line upside down.

The 2011 Ford 400 stands as one of the best analogies regarding Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards fighting for championship and race supremacy until the very last moment. Much like Stewart who took home both race and championship titles during that race day, Bell has a shot to mount a title charge. It seems like 3 wins in a row is a lucky charm that leads to title glory. Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, and Kyle Larson have all converted their three-peats into championship triumphs. So there’s reason for Bell and the No. 20 team to be optimistic about their title hopes.

The No. 20 team and Bell will drive in Las Vegas next weekend with historic championship records set by Jimmie Johnson as their goal. He has two runner-up finishes in the last five races at the mile-and-a-half tri-oval, and with the momentum on his side, it won’t be a surprise if the JGR driver snags a 4th win.