RACE: Alsco 300
TRACK: Charlotte Motor Speedway
START: 1st
FINISH: 31st
LAPS: 90/300
A flat tire ended the day early for Bell at Charlotte.
Flat Tire Ends Strong Run for Bell at Charlotte
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-45)
- With a lap time of 29.298 Christopher Bell claimed the pole position for the Alsco 300.
- From the pole Bell dominated Stage 1, leading 33 of the 45 laps to win the Stage.
- The handling on the No. 20 Rheem Supra was a little on the tight side over the first Stage of the race, so Bell pitted at the Stage break for four tires and fuel.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 54-90)
- Bell took the green for Stage two in the third position.
- Bell lost a little ground as the handling shifted to the loose side but was working his way back up to the front when his Supra ran over debris on the track.
- The No. 20 shot up the track and into the outside wall. Bell continued on briefly until the damage cut the right-front tire.
- The shredded tire caught fire on pit road and ended Bell’s afternoon early.
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 91-200)
Additional Notes
- With his qualifying effort, Bell earned his third pole of the 2019 season.
- Bell remains second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings, 65 points behind the leader.
- Bell led for a total of 33 laps Saturday afternoon before the blown tire ended his day.
Was there any warning that the tire would go down?
“No, none at all. I got pretty tight there the first stage. The second stage I was fighting a little bit loose. I had no warning.”
What happened from your perspective?
“I don’t know. I felt like my balance was really good. My car was running good there. I had no warning of blowing a right front. I was actually a little bit loose that entire run. I guess we ran something over. I pile drove the fence and then rolling down the back straightaway I saw my teammate do it there too. Bummer, but we had a really fast Rheem Supra today.”
Up Next: The Xfinity Series heads to Pocono Raceway for the Pocono Green 250 on Saturday, June 1, 2019. Coverage will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, SIRIUS XM Channel 90 and MRN radio.
