Christopher Bell won Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at ISM Raceway to punch his ticket into the Championship 4 next Saturday at Homestead.
Bell entered Saturday 34 points out from the cutoff. Driver NO. 20 started 38th after after his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry did not get through inspection in time to qualify.
Bell would drive through the field and take control of the lead on Lap 108 when he passed John Hunter Nemecheck.
Driver NO. 20 would lead 94 laps in route to his seventh win of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Rounding out the top five were Daniel Hemric in second, Matt Tifft in third, Austin Cindric in fourth and Ryan Preece in fifth.
“I’ll be honest after Kansas and Texas i kind of just accepted we wouldn’t be able to get there, Bell told NBC. “Just came over here with a ‘Let’s have fun attitude.’ We didn’t really make our way up front that fast. I kind of got stalled out once i got into the top 15. I knew this thing was really fast because yesterday in practice it was really good. That clean air just meant so much. My pit crew did an amazing job… We’re going to Miami baby!”
Those eliminated from the Championship 4 include; Justin Allgaier, who won five races in 2018, Elliott Sadler, who will not compete full-time after the end of the 2018 season, Austin Cindric and Matt Tifft.
The Championship 4 drivers include: Cole Custer, Christopher Bell, Daniel Hemric and Tyler Reddick.
The NASCAR Xfinty Series will head into Homestead, Miami next Saturday in the running of the Ford EcoBoost 300 with coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on NBCSN.
Stage 1 Winner: Justin Allgaier
Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier
Race Winner: Christopher Bell
- NCS: Denny Hamlin wins Bristol Spring race over Truex Jr. - March 17, 2024
- NCS: Kyle Larson outlasts Tyler Reddick to win at Las Vegas - March 3, 2024
- NCS: Daniel Suarez wins Atlanta Cup Series race in photo finish - February 25, 2024