4 weeks into NASCAR season, has established himself because the story.
He gained once more Sunday, navigating the ultimate nook completely to carry off Denny Hamlin within the at . That’s three in a row for these counting at dwelling.
After Ty Gibbs discovered the wall and produced a warning flag within the closing 10 laps, the race restarted with two to go. outdueled Hamlin and Kyle Larson, who positioned third.
“That’s about as ugly because it will get,” Bell mentioned after his post-race burnout. “You set the pink tires on, and also you’re like, ‘Alright, what I don’t need to occur is go 20-30 laps and get a yellow. That occurred. Then, we went 10 extra laps and had one other yellow.
“It was simply all about who may get clear on the restart. Neither of us may. We simply racing actually, actually laborious there coming to the road. (Joe Gibbs Racing) ran 1-2. How about that?”
How about Bell?
He led a race-high 105 laps and earned his twelfth profession victory. This got here after he scored three victories all of final season. In fact, one was the spring race at Phoenix.
Listed here are three takeaways:
1. Some historic context to Christopher Bell’s streak
Let’s get into some extra numbers.
What Bell has achieved the final three weeks has been finished solely 28 different occasions in NASCAR’s fashionable period (since 1972). However no driver had ever finished it within the Subsequent Gen automobile.
Earlier than Bell, Kyle Larson was the newest winner of three consecutive races, doing so throughout his championship marketing campaign of 2021.
Kevin Harvick was beforehand the final to assert three of the primary 4 checkered flags in a season. He did it in 2018.
Of the 28 prior situations of three straight wins, the driving force who loved the streak captured the end-of-year championship 11 occasions.
Bell nonetheless has an extended solution to go to get there — or to interrupt the longest streak of all time. Richard Petty rattled off 10 victories in a row in 1967.
He is the King for a cause.
2. Katherine Legge spins out of first Cup Collection race
grew to become the primary feminine driver to start out a Cup Collection race since Danica Patrick in 2018.
She made it to Stage 3 however fell brief in her bid to change into the primary girl since Patrick to complete a Cup race.
Legge, a 44-year-old sports-car and IndyCar veteran, piloted the No. 78 automobile for Dwell Quick Motorsports. She positioned thirtieth after crashing with 98 laps to go.
“Baptism by fireplace,” Legge instructed reporters. “I feel there have been a whole lot of positives to take from it. Clearly, there have been errors made, however I discovered a lot. Hopefully, I get to come back again and do it once more.”
Operating 5 laps again of the leaders, she drifted too excessive coming round Flip 2 and ran into Josh Berry. She spun proper into the trail of Daniel Suarez and absorbed a giant hit. That ended her day.
Legge additionally spun on Lap 4 with none contact, bringing out the primary warning of the afternoon.
Previous to Sunday, Legge had began 5 NASCAR races. She ran the Experience the ’Dente 200 final month and competed in 5 Xfinity Collection occasions between 2018 and 2023.
3. One oval monitor down, 5 extra on faucet
Get used to oval racing.
After plate races at Daytona and Atlanta and a road-course race at COTA through the first three weeks of the season, Phoenix offered the primary oval, and it kicked off a streak. The subsequent 5 weeks earlier than the Easter break will see drivers navigate ovals between a half-mile and a mile and a half.
The itinerary consists of stops at Las Vegas, Homestead, Martinsville, Darlington and Bristol in that order.
Subsequent Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. It is going to air on FS1.
