Joey Logano pulled off a brilliant fuel strategy, running the last 72 laps without an extra pit stop, which gave him a crucial advantage. In the final five laps, he passed Daniel Suarez to grab the lead and had to fend off a fast-approaching Christopher Bell. Logano ultimately held on to win, crossing the line just 0.662 seconds ahead of Bell. This victory was key for Logano, securing him a spot in Championship 4, while Bell was left regretting a missed opportunity after leading much of the race and winning stage two.

In the post-race interview, Christopher Bell revealed his take on the race and how it seems, he was not happy at all. After the race, a reporter asked C. Bell about his near miss from victory, saying, “How do you come to terms with how that race played out?” In the past, Bell had made it clear about how much he enjoyed the playoff format. This being the only format he has raced in, Bell believes that he is comfortable with how the title is given out.

Unsure how to answer the question, Bell stated, “I don’t know. I don’t know, and I don’t think I’ve come to terms yet, so I don’t know. Just a bummer. I think everyone on this scene did everything perfect today. This thing was obviously on rails. The big crew did an amazing job. Adam called a great race and did everything we needed to put this room in victory lane. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be today.”

In a follow-up question from the reporter, she mentioned how Bell had a tough time at Vegas in 2021 and 2022, saying, “Two years in a row, you’ve seen this disappointment right here at this racetrack, but then rebounded last year. You found a spot in the championship four, winning in this round. How do you use this to fuel you next weekend in Homestead?” While Bell has yet to win at Las Vegas, he claimed Homestead last year in the playoffs, so considering he has a better time at the upcoming track, let’s take a look at his mindset.

Speaking about the upcoming race, C. Bell explained, “I mean, it’s just a whole new race next week. You know, this track means nothing for next week. Fortunately, we were able to go and win in Homestead, but nothing’s guaranteed.” With Logano securing his spot in the finals, Bell is still winning in terms of points. With 42 points above the cutoff, Bell is still in the safe zone; however, he would have been happier with a win and a confirmed spot in the finals.

Judging from his performance at Las Vegas, Bell also revealed, “Just because I ran second today doesn’t mean that I’m going to finish, you know, anywhere next week. So, yeah, I think the points look pretty good, which is a positive, but you’re never safe in this deal. We needed to win today, and unfortunately, we didn’t. We’ll go on to that, a very strong day from his development team.”

Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 driver has been a strong contender during the regular season and the playoffs; however, the lack of wins in comparison to Kyle Larson puts him at a disadvantage. Looking at his points, it’s safe to say that he stands a chance of making it into the top 4, but anything can change during the playoffs, impacting his position on the grid.

This is a building piece. Stay tuned for updates.