RACE: O’Reilly Auto Parts 500
TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway
START: 33rd
FINISH: 21st
LAPS: 334 laps

Bell Salvages 21st-Place Finish at Texas

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-105)

• Christopher Bell started 33rd at Texas Motor Speedway based on a random draw.
• Bell spent the opening 20 lap run to the competition caution feeling out his No. 95 Rheem Toyota Camry and reported back to his team that he was pretty loose on entry to both corners.
• At the competition caution Bell came down pit road for four tires, fuel, wedge and front packer adjustments.
• Bell restarted 25th with 80 laps remaining in stage one.
• The field began making green flag pit stops and Bell cycled as high as third before coming in for service on lap 94 for four tires, fuel, wedge and an air pressure adjustment.
• Stage one concluded on lap 105 and Bell was running 24th with a Toyota that was still loose.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 112-210)

• Bell started eighth and finished 29th in stage two.
• Bell stayed out at the stage break and started eighth for stage two at Texas.
• The handling shifted from loose to plowing and on lap 122 the car got sideways on Bell and slightly into the wall.
• Despite the brush with the wall, Bell remained on the lead lap and said the balance was not bad, but it migrated tight.
• Bell came down pit road under green for a scheduled pit stop on lap 172 for four tires and fuel.
• Shortly after the stop Bell felt a vibration for a loose wheel and had to make an additional stop under green for right-side tires.
• Due to the extra green flag pit stop, Bell finished out stage two 29th, two laps down to the leaders.
• At the stage break Bell pitted for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.

Stage 3 Recap (Laps 218-334)

• Bell started stage three 29th and crossed the finish line 21st.
• A multi-car accident happened towards the front of the field just as the final stage started. Bell avoided any contact, but the accident resulted in a red flag delay for the field while NASCAR cleaned up the track.
• Once racing resumed Bell was still stuck two laps down to the field.
• On lap 304, the No. 00 turned down to pit from the outside lane and scrapped the side of the No. 95 and another car. The contact created a tire rub and resulted in two trips down pit road for right-side tires, fuel and to fix the car and make sure the tires were clear.
• Bell restarted 22nd with 23 laps to go but was three laps down to the field following contact from the No. 00.
• The final laps were caution filled and the final restart came with two laps to go. Bell maintained his position to salvage a 21st-place finish at Texas.

Up Next: The NASCAR Cup Series finishes heads to Kansas Speedway for the Super Start Batteries 400 on Thursday, July 23rd. The race will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.