Winning consecutive races! That’s a feat Christopher Bell has yet to accomplish in his NASCAR Cup Series career to date. But at the World Wide Technology Raceway, he came agonizingly close and could have done it had it not been for an engine failure. Bell finished the race in 7th place, but he can take solace in the fact that it was the first time in two months that he had finished in the top 10 in a race.

The JGR driver’s form over the last two weeks has been very impressive, completing more laps (170) than in the previous 13 races of the season (125). This means that he has moved up seven places in the championship standings and is in eighth place with 11 races to go. However, the #20 Toyota of Christopher Bell lost power with 20 laps to go, but it could have been much worse for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Let’s find out how.

Christopher Bell is so close, yet so far

Christopher Bell led the race for 80 laps and seemed to be in a good position to take his third win of the season. Crew chief Adam Stevens brought him into the pits on the last lap to have fresh tires fitted, after which Bell went head-to-head with Ryan Blaney for first place.

However, with 20 laps to go, Bell’s #20 Toyota lost power, due to a mechanical failure, causing him to quickly lose positions. His teammate Martin Truex Jr bumped the #20 car on the long straights of the 1.25-mile oval and kept Bell’s momentum going for a few laps, helping him finish seventh.

When asked on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio what went wrong there, Christopher Bell replied, “Broken exhaust valve, I don’t know why that happened. It was just kind of bad luck or luck of the draw with that exhaust valve. They did tell me that the engine was third-use engine, if I’m not mistaken.”

“They said we got really fortunate the way that it broke, something to do with the push rod and how the valve didn’t end up hitting the piston. But, they said that basically, it was just the luck of the draw, unlucky that it broke and very lucky that it didn’t have a catastrophic failure and a DNF.”

At a track where many drivers struggled for grip, Christopher Bell held his own remarkably well. His background in dirt racing may have had something to do with it. With no grip on an asphalt surface, the car on dirt tracks tends to slide around, relying on the drivers’ experience to remain on track. That’s exactly what happened at World Wide Technology on Sunday, where Christopher Bell managed to maximize his car despite the challenging circumstances.

Having a fast car helps too, as Christopher Bell would know all too well. The Oklahoman drove like a man on a mission right from the get-go, going from P4 to taking the lead and finishing Stage 1 at the top. He showed great composure in Stage 2, bagging another playoff point when it mattered, despite the race heating up with perfectly timed cautions and evolving strategies. He also showed some championship-caliber resourcefulness, employing the tactic of riding outside the corners to make passes. If Bell’s engine hadn’t given up, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that he could have won the race.

Furthermore, with momentum on his side, Christopher Bell will go into June with plenty of confidence. The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway next, and the 29-year-old will be optimistic about his chances on the road course. After that, NASCAR heads to Iowa Speedway, a track Bell knows very well, as he was one of only three drivers to take part in a Goodyear tire test last week.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a track where Christopher Bell has always excelled, no matter what series he competes in, and he will be confident about his chances in the AmBetter Health 200. What do you think of Christopher Bell’s chances in the upcoming races? Let us know in the comments!