How Christopher Bell’s team averted disaster in four-peat bid at Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Christopher Bell didn’t get the four-peat with a win in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway but he and his team averted disaster.
Bell started 13th, placed 10th in stage one on lap 80 and was second when a caution flew on lap 108.
In pit stall 38, Bell pitted for four tires. As he left, front tire changer Blake Houston indicated he didn’t get the left-front tire tightened.
Earlier in the race, on lap 34, a caution came out after teammate Chase Briscoe’s rear tire changer didn’t get the left-rear tire tight and it came loose on track. NASCAR held Briscoe for two laps and will suspend his rear tire changer and jackman.
With that in mind, crew chief Adam Stevens immediately and repeatedly told Bell, “stop in the box,” to get the wheel tightened.
As it turns out, Stevens wasn’t talking about their box. He was talking about a teammate’s box.
Bell knew it too.
“It’s something we’ve talked about,” Stevens said after the race.
The situation grew tense as Bell couldn’t get to Denny Hamlin’s stall — 23 — and Ty Gibbs’ stall — 18.
Finally, Bell cleared traffic and pulled into stall 13 — Briscoe’s stall. Front tire changer Lee Cunningham tightened Bell’s tire, preventing Bell from getting the penalties his team faced for the earlier violation.
Instead, Bell went to the rear of the field for pitting outside of the box and began his recovery.
Meanwhile, people were confused, including the FOX booth, about if it was legal.
“We’re allowed to do that. Pitting as far back as we are, we’ve thought of it before,” Stevens said, adding they talked to NASCAR about it. “Hopefully we don’t have to do that too many times.”
In the end, Bell finished 12th after winning three previous races.
“You can’t go to the back and have a much of a better finish [than 12th],” Stevens said. “Once we had a loose wheel, it was going to take a miracle to see us race for the win again.”
Next up is Homestead-Miami Speedway. Bell and his team won there in 2023.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com