RACE: Johnsonville 180
TRACK: Road America
START: 5th
FINISH: 23rd
LAPS: 45/45
Following Road America, Bell and his Ruud team currently sit second in the points standings, just five points out of first with three races remaining in the regular season.
Bell Finishes 23rd at Road America Following Late-Race Contact
Christopher Bell and his Ruud team paid a visit to Road America on Saturday afternoon for race No. 23 of the 2018 season. After qualifying the Ruud Camry fifth on Saturday afternoon, Bell and his Joe Gibbs Racing team finished 23rd after another competitor made contact with Bell with five laps remaining in the race.
Following the drop of the green flag, Bell picked up one spot on lap one and was scored in third when the first caution flag of the afternoon waved on lap four. Staying out under the caution, Bell restarted in third on lap six and maintained his position until the end of stage one on lap 10. Under the stage one caution, crew chief Jason Ratcliff called Bell down pit road for four tires and fuel on the Ruud Camry. Following the stop, Bell restarted stage two in 12th on lap 12 after the top-five competitors stayed out under the caution.
Following the restart, Bell cracked the top 10 once again on lap 13 and was scored in seventh when the caution flag waved on lap 15. Staying out under the caution, Bell restarted in sixth on lap 17 and drove his way up to fourth when the second stage ended on lap 20. Following a four-tire stop under the caution, Bell restarted the final stage in 15th on lap 22.
With his Ruud Camry dialed in on the restart, Bell started picking off his competitors one-by-one, cracking the top 10 by lap 23, and being scored in sixth when the sixth caution of the afternoon waved on lap 29. Battling a loose condition to start the final stage, Ratcliff called Bell down pit road under the caution for four tires, fuel and another air-pressure adjustment to the Ruud Camry. Following the stop, Bell restarted in fourth on lap 31. With close side-by-side racing all over the track, Bell maintained his positon inside the top five until lap 40 when another competitor made contact with Bell, causing him to spin and his right-rear tire to go flat. After bringing his Ruud Camry down pit road to assess the damage, Bell rejoined the field with three laps remaining and ended the 45-lap event in the 23rd position.
Following Road America, Bell and his Ruud team currently sit second in the points standings, just five points out of first with three races remaining in the regular season.
Bell and his Rheem team return to the track next weekend at Darlington Raceway for the annual NASCAR Throwback Weekend. Coverage of the race begins next Saturday, September 1st at 3:00 PM ET live on NBCSN, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
