HOMESTEAD, Fla.: For a while in Stage 3, it appeared that Christopher Bell would take control of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 race – but as Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway settled into darkness, the handling of Bell’s No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry faded and ultimately doomed the Joe Gibbs Racing team’s opportunity to earn the Xfinity Series championship.
Leading five times for 37 laps throughout Saturday afternoon’s Ford EcoBoost 300, Bell kept his No. 20 Watts | Rheem Toyota Camry within the cusp of his challengers Cole Custer and Tyler Reddick, but as Stage 3 marched on, Bell’s race deteriorated.
Approaching his final pit stop with about 45 laps to go, Bell attempted to come to pit road for tires and fuel, but Bell missed pit road forcing him to lose time to his Championship 4 competitors before making a clean trip back down pit lane for routine service.
Luckily for Bell, the extra lap didn’t hurt the Xfinity Series team significantly. While Custer and Reddick pitted later, the Norman, Ok. native found himself ahead of his challengers.
Quickly though, Custer and Reddick closed the gap and were able to pass Bell for the race lead and eventual fight for the Xfinity Series title. As the goody of Bell’s Goodyear tires faded, the handling worsen on his race car dropping him from third to fifth over the final 30 laps of the race.
Bell finished fifth and will be credited with third in the Xfinity Series championship standings.
“Even really since the drop of the green flag, I knew that we were in trouble. We can’t get around this place for some reason,” said Bell after the race.
“Our pit stops would allow us to get up front and then we would maintain until we started falling off and then they would drive by me.”
While competitive on short runs Saturday night Bell admitted that the No. 20 struggled to have the presence during the long run when it counted most – similar to last year when he fought for grip in the closing laps.
“The long run. Just couldn’t get the long run going,” added Bell. “it was oddly familiar. I don’t know, I don’t get it. For whatever reason whenever the tires start falling off here, I just struggle.
“I don’t know what we’re missing to get me comfortable where we can go around here. But yeah, I’m okay for 10, 20, and then after that, we just fall apart for some reason.”
Bell chalked up the missed pit road opportunity at Lap 160 as miscommunication but was glad that it wasn’t the determining factor of his finish.
“It was just a miscommunication,” added Bell. “I don’t know if my spotter didn’t get told what our cue word was, but I told got the cue word to pit and then all of a sudden, I started pitting and he said, not now, not now.
“But that didn’t matter whenever you get beat by 17 seconds. I’m glad that it didn’t have an effect on the outcome of the race.
For 2020, Bell will move to the NASCAR Cup Series aboard Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 Toyota with a major technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. Although thankful for his two full Xfinity Series seasons at JGR, he is ready for the next chapter.
“Just a lot of fun. A lot of fun racing with these people,” sounded Bell. “This whole group on this No 20 Supra, driving for Coach Gibbs. A lot of fun to drive for him.
“Very thankful that I got to spend some time in the Xfinity Series. These cars are a ton of fun to drive. I’m ready for the next chapter.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
