Christopher Bell Wins Thrilling NASCAR Night Race at Bristol

Bristol, TN – Christopher Bell won the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, marking his 13th career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series. Bell’s win comes on the heels of a dramatic race full of tire strategy and unexpected challenges.

The race began with high hopes, but early on, drivers faced a reality check as Goodyear’s new softer right-side tires wore down quickly. Teams that had anticipated a straightforward race found themselves struggling with tire management, forcing many to pit far sooner than expected.

By the time the green flag dropped, the competition evolved into a strategic chess match, with teams implementing diverse pit strategies. This led to intense shuffling of positions, with fans at home caught off guard by the unfolding drama.

Near the race’s conclusion, a collision involving race leader Brad Keselowski sent Bubba Wallace crashing into the SAFER Barrier, inciting a flurry of pit stops as drivers scrambled for tires. With just four laps remaining, the race restarted with Bell in second place.

Bell dove underneath Zane Smith on the inside line and seized the lead off Turn 2. “I was nervous on the choose. I didn’t know if I wanted to be on the bottom or the top… I was able to get underneath them,” Bell said after the race.

With this win, Bell now has four victories this season and continues to solidify his place among the top contenders in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Keselowski finished second after making a late-game push but ultimately fell short.

Zane Smith secured third place, marking his first top-five finish for Front Row Motorsports. The top five was rounded out by Team Penske drivers Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano.

In a noteworthy performance, rookie Corey Heim finished sixth in just his seventh Cup Series start. Meanwhile, Carson Hocevar, who was in contention for his first series win, finished seventh after losing momentum on the final restart.

Chase Elliott faced challenges, finishing 38th after being involved in a wreck while trying to navigate among competitors. Some notable play-off drivers fell short, with Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, and Ty Gibbs missing the advance to the ‘Round of 12.’

The reset following Bristol sets the stage for the next race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 21 at 3 PM ET.