RACE: Mid-Ohio Challenge
TRACK: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
START: 10th
FINISH: 11th
LAPS: 75/75
With his 11th-place finish, Bell continues to lead the points standings, now holding a 17-point advantage heading into Bristol next weekend.
Bell Finishes 11th at Mid-Ohio
Christopher Bell and his Rheem team paid a visit to The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday afternoon for race No. 21 of the 2018 season. After qualifying 10th for the 75-lap event on Saturday Morning, Bell worked his way to as high as second by lap 50, and would go on to finish 11th after another competitor made contact with the Rheem Camry on lap 65 causing him to spin coming out of turn one.
Following the drop of the green flag, a quick caution would ensue on lap two with Bell being score in 11th. Staying out under the caution, Bell restarted in 11th on lap four and started working his way towards the front, being scored in eighth by lap 10. Bell and his Rheem team would make their first green-flag stop of the afternoon on lap 17, changing four tires and adding fuel to the Rheem Camry. After pitting from seventh, Bell rejoined the field in 16th on lap 18 and ended stage one in 14th on lap 20. After staying out under the caution, Bell restarted stage two in fourth on lap 24.
With the pit-strategy call in stage one working, Bell was a mainstay inside the top five for the duration of stage two, working his way to third by lap 35 and ending the stage in the same position on lap 40. During the stage two caution, crew chief Jason Ratcliff called Bell down pit road once again for service, changing four tires and packing the Rheem Camry full of fuel. Following the stop, Bell restarted the final stage in fifth on lap 44.
The final stage would go green to start the run, with Bell working his way into second by lap 50 and maintaining his position until the caution flag waved once again on lap 61. Staying out under the caution, Bell took the lap 64 restart on the outside of the front row. Continuing to put pressure on the leader following the restart, Bell was scored in second when another competitor made contact with the Rheem Camry on lap 65, causing him to spin and run off course. Following the contact, Bell was scored in 28th and worked his way back up to 24th when the final caution of the afternoon waved on lap 67. Under the caution, Ratcliff once again brought Bell down pit road for four tires, fuel and one final adjustment to the Rheem Camry. Following the stop, Bell restarted in 24th on lap 69. Despite the setback, Bell continued to battle, ultimately crossing the finish line on lap 75 in the 11th position for Joe Gibbs Racing.
With his 11th-place finish, Bell continues to lead the points standings, now holding a 17-point advantage heading into Bristol next weekend.
The NXS returns to the track next weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway for their second and final visit of the season at the half-mile oval. Coverage of the race begins on Friday, August 17 at 7:30 PM ET live on NBCSN, PRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
