Bell and Byron clearly had the 2 quickest vehicles all through Sunday’s 68-lap race on the three.41-mile, 20-turn highway course however the two ended up on barely completely different pit methods.
Bell and his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing workforce tailored a two-stop technique within the race and the profit was Bell ended up one among final vehicles to pit.
That left Bell with barely more energizing tires in his effort to catch Byron as soon as the ultimate inexperienced flag stops had cycled by way of however in the end got here up quick.
“Clearly as soon as I acquired to him, it was going to be robust to cross him, however simply wanted a few errors,” Bell mentioned. “William has been actually, actually good on the highway programs, and he was flawless when it mattered right this moment.”
Not less than twice in the course of the race, nonetheless, when Bell was combating his by way of the sector, he spun out different drivers and one among them – Kyle Busch – was among the many first to confront Bell after the race on pit highway.
With 28 laps remaining and battling Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch for place, Bell acquired into Busch’s No. 8 automotive as the 2 entered Flip 1. The contact despatched Busch round and he ultimately misplaced a number of positions on the monitor and completed ninth.
Busch and Bell acquired into an animated dialogue in regards to the problem on pit highway.
“Clearly, he’s very upset. He ended up rotated,” Bell mentioned. “First off, I am sorry to (Kyle) Larson and the No. 5 automotive. I acquired him earlier within the race and by no intention in any respect. I did not imply to try this.
“KB is annoyed about what occurred in Flip 1. I don’t know. they have been two-wide getting in there. I clearly haven’t seen a replay but. I had no intentions of turning him and I’m certain we’ll speak it out earlier than the subsequent race.”
The incident with Larson got here on lap 22 when Bell acquired into Larson in Flip 11 and spun him round. Larson stalled briefly however was capable of ultimately proceed within the race. He struggled to regain his monitor place and ended up 18th.
Bell stays seventh within the sequence standings, 37 behind chief Martin Truex Jr. He’s, nonetheless, already locked within the playoffs because of his win at Phoenix.
