Christopher Bell laments missed chance to make Phoenix at Las Vegas, admits ‘be that close really stinks’
Bell missed the win as he finished just a car-length away from Larson.
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Christopher Bell (Via IMAGO)
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell proved again why he is the best qualifier of the 2023 season by securing his sixth pole of the year at Las Vegas. He went on to produce a solid race, leading 61 of the scheduled 267 laps and finishing second just 0.082 seconds behind winner Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson.
Bell and Larson were the main challengers for the win from the start of the race. If not for the extra pace the 2021 Champion was able to extract from his No:5 and his impressive race craft, the Toyota driver would’ve secured his spot in the finale four. Larson has secured a spot in the finale with the win, while Bell has found himself just three points outside the cut-line.
Talking about the missed opportunity, he pointed out that Vegas was his chance to make it to the finale, and it slipped away from him. He admitted that coming that close and missing out on a win is tough. Bell added that with two more races left, Homestead and Martinsville, he is hopeful he can progress.
“I really feel like that was our chance. That was our chance to make Phoenix this year, and it slipped away from us. So I don’t know. We’ve still got two more races to get ourselves in position. So I feel good about that. But to be that close really stinks,” Bell said, as reported by NASCAR.com.
Christopher Bell said he did everything he could’ve in the final laps
Bell went on to admit that he didn’t quite capture the moment. He said that he didn’t know what he could’ve done better to pass the HMS car as everything went as he expected in the final laps, including the block, but it might be the lack of momentum that cost him the race.
“I don’t know what else I could have done. I feel like that was my moment. That was my moment to make the final four. Didn’t quite capture it. I don’t know. Coming to the checkered there, I knew that he was going to be blocking, so I’m like, I’m going to try to go high. He went high. I don’t even know if I had a run to get by him there coming to the line. Just wasn’t enough,” Bell said.
Bell is still the front-runner to make it to the next round. He proved his clutch ability last season as he secured a final-four spot in 2022 by winning the final race of R-8 at Martinsville. If the No:19 can continue his superior qualifying form and continue to finish in the top-5, a final spot is viable.
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Justin P Joy
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