NASCAR: Christopher Bell’s penalty could eliminate another driver

NASCAR: Christopher Bell's penalty could eliminate another driver

As a die-hard NASCAR fan who’s seen more than a few heart-stopping moments, I can’t help but feel the sting of that penalty for Christopher Bell at Martinsville. It was a close call, reminiscent of Ross Chastain’s “Hail Melon” from two years ago. And while I respect NASCAR’s rules and safety regulations, it’s hard not to wonder what could have been if the pass had stood.

At Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, under the waving checker flag, it was determined that Christopher Bell from Joe Gibbs Racing was among the four racers who secured a spot in the final round of the NASCAR Cup Series.

Instead of being a single point behind Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron in the race for the fourth and final Championship 4 spot with only the final lap remaining, he found himself on the last lap of the 500-lap Xfinity 500 around the four-turn, 0.526-mile (0.847-kilometer) oval in Ridgeway, Virginia, trailing by just one point.

Due to his pass on Bubba Wallace in the 23XI Racing team, which put him in 18th place (the position he needed for advancement) and bore striking similarities to Ross Chastain’s “Hail Melon” maneuver two years prior, NASCAR deemed his move a violation of safety rules.

Originally, Bell slipped down to the 22nd position and ended up four points below Byron, who placed sixth and qualified for the Championship 4 again, preventing Bell from obtaining his third consecutive Championship 4 spot. In simpler terms, Byron outperformed Bell this time, securing a place in the Championship 4 for a second year in a row, while Bell missed out on the chance to make it three years in a row.

That penalty could have a domino effect at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.

Byron is about to team up with Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano from Team Penske, and Tyler Reddick from 23XI Racing in the fight for the title during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, which spans 312 laps on the four-cornered, 1.022-mile (1.645-kilometer) track in Avondale, Arizona.

In this scenario, if Blaney, Logano, or Reddick place higher than Bell in the race, it implies that one of those three drivers will secure the championship title.

For argument’s sake, let’s say it’s Blaney.

Since Byron appears in the photo, his chances of winning the championship are increased, as he only needs to outperform the three other drivers now. Therefore, if Byron manages to come first in the race and Blaney finishes second, it would be Blaney’s penalty that ultimately denied him the championship.

If Bell wins against Blaney, Logano, and Reddick, but Byron manages to win as well, it might cost Bell the championship.

So let’s simplify it even further.

If Byron outperforms the top-finishing drivers among Blaney, Logano, and Reddick, but Bell does not, it means another driver (other than Bell) would have lost the championship due to Bell’s penalty.

Tune in to NBC this Sunday, November 10 at 3:00 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race from Phoenix Raceway. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss any of the action!

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