Christopher Bell Surprised by Kyle Busch’s Chivalry After “Losing” Twice at COTA

Last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, it was a tough day for both the Kyles. Both Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch were victims of dive-bomb spins from Christopher Bell. The most frequent victim was Busch, and he pretty much had every reason to be mad at his former teammate. Despite the run-ins with Bell, the #8 driver still managed to secure a Top 10 finish at COTA. So far, he has had an up-and-down season, with a best finish of third place at Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell already has one win under his belt at Phoenix Raceway. In a way, it was his redemption after losing the Championship Finale race last year at the same venue. Now, the #20 driver is locked into the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs and is ready for another shot at the title. When he spoke about the COTA race, where he finished 2nd, Bell acknowledged his mistakes.

Kyle Busch bears no ill will against Christopher Bell

Bell told Front Stretch, “I was surprised that he called me back. I called him on Monday and he didn’t answer. Thought that was going to be the end of it. I was really happy that he called me back and we had a conversation. It was a good conversation and we don’t have a lot of run-ins, but the two times that we had run-ins, he’s been on the losing side of it. I’ll just race him with respect as I always try to, and it is what it is.”

Immediately after the race, there was a dramatic confrontation between both drivers. So it was quite surprising and gratifying to hear that Busch wanted to clear the air and move on. Of course, since the paddock is at Richmond this weekend, they pretty much have no choice but to move on. Also, as Christopher Bell admitted, he and Kyle Busch didn’t really clash too often on the track. Owing to that, the COTA incident became water under the bridge.

The Richard Childress Racing driver’s winless 2024

To be truthful, the results may not show it, but Kyle Busch has been in great form in 2024. The 2-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has often been fighting at the front for multiple races. Unfortunately, bad luck once again seemed to strike him, which would plummet him down the order. This would range from shoddy pit stops to mistakes from Busch himself, or even being caught up in a wreck or two.

Now, Kyle Busch is eager to win a race and get his championship challenge on track. Last year, in his first season with Richard Childress Racing, he enjoyed a fantastic start to the campaign. Unfortunately, his form tapered off towards the end, and he lost out on winning a third Cup title. Now, the #8 driver will be champing at the bit to try again in 2024.

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