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NASCAR enthusiasts witnessed an exhilarating showdown at the Circuit of the Americas, with a nail-biting contest among four drivers culminating in a dramatic finish. Christopher Bell emerged victorious, taking the checkered flag for the second consecutive week. Just a week prior, he claimed victory at Atlanta by leading only the final lap, but his consistent performance throughout all three stages on Sunday at COTA solidified his position in Victory Lane.
This win marks the eleventh of Bell’s career and signifies the earliest point in the season at which he has secured multiple race victories.
“It felt a lot like déjà vu from last year,” Bell reflected, recalling his previous near-miss at COTA. “I had the track position then, but these road course races are just exhilarating.”
Bell was particularly cautious while racing behind leader Kyle Busch, keeping in mind their previous encounter where Bell inadvertently spun Busch, leading to extensive post-race discussions. “I really wanted to pass him cleanly. Kyle was doing an excellent job in maintaining his pace, making it tough for me to get inside of him. When I finally managed to get a nose in front, I just focused on not making any mistakes during those last few laps,” he remarked.
Watch: Christopher Bell ‘super proud’ after COTA victory
The Contest for Victory
After the final green-flag pit stops, Kyle Busch held the lead, eager to end a 59-race winless streak. However, a late-race caution was triggered when his teammate Austin Dillon got stuck in the gravel after some contact with Denny Hamlin, setting the stage for a fierce battle.
As the race progressed, Bell began closing the gap on Busch, leading to a high-intensity confrontation for the lead. At one point, he had to maneuver sharply to avoid colliding with Busch, with both drivers pushing hard as they navigated the tricky sections of the track. Ultimately, Bell executed a precise inside pass in the last corner that was finalized as they entered Turn 1 with just five laps remaining. Busch, struggling with worn tires, soon found himself losing ground and watching his shot at victory slip away.
But the competition was not over. William Byron quickly joined the fray, positioning himself to contend with the two front-runners as Tyler Reddick loomed behind, ready to capitalize on any mistakes.
Midway through the race, Kyle Busch had a lengthy defensive battle against Van Ginsbergen and Reddick.
Byron’s Sportsmanship
Approaching the final lap, Byron was close enough to challenge Bell but opted to race cleanly instead of overtly pushing for position. Bell held on for the win, with Byron and Reddick finishing within three-tenths of a second behind him.
“We’ve always raced really well together, so I didn’t want to push him unintentionally,” offered Byron, who secured victory at the Daytona 500 earlier this season. “We improved a lot throughout the weekend. While being close to a win is frustrating, it also gives us momentum to build on moving forward.”
Watch: William Byron: ‘Sucks to be so damn close’ in COTA finish
Chase Elliott, recovering from an early spin on Lap 1, managed to secure fourth place while a late set of fresh tires may have contributed to Busch’s drop down to fifth. Shane van Gisbergen followed in sixth, with Chris Buescher, Noah Gragson, Alex Bowman, and Todd Gilliland completing the top ten.
Photos from COTA Race
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Topics: NASCAR Cup, Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Joe Gibbs Racing
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