Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell stated he was “simply attempting to get to the top” of the NASCAR Cup Sequence race in Kansas after struggling on tyres.
As eventual winner Kyle Larson turned down his tempo on the entrance within the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Bell started to shut in quickly on him within the #20 Toyota Camry.
This additionally introduced Ryan Blaney within the #12 Penske Ford into play, with the trio ultimately separated by lower than a second following 267 laps of racing at Kansas Speedway.
However regardless of coming so near victory, Bell doesn’t assume he had a shot at passing Larson for the lead within the AdventHealth 400, citing his personal late-race tempo struggles with the Camry.
The Oklahoma native stated he owed his sixth podium of the season to his spectacular efficiency in qualifying, which noticed him qualify third behind polesitter Larson and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher.
“I used to be shocked that [Larson] type of gave up on the highest these final couple laps and pulled down. However I used to be struggling simply as unhealthy as he was, so I used to be simply attempting to get to the top. I do know Ryan was approaching actually robust there.
“Total, to get dwelling second with a whole lot of stage factors was one thing that we wanted after the final couple weeks, and this Reser’s Camry was simply not fairly what we wanted.
“I really feel like our day was type of a product of qualifying nicely, having good pit stops, having good restarts and nothing actually took us out of it. At any time when the lengthy inexperienced flag runs got here, it appeared like we have been going backwards and there have been a pair guys that might drive by us.
“To stroll out of right here second, I’m actually proud of, and hopefully we is usually a little bit stronger after we come again.”
Bell has scored 4 of his 12 pole positions in Kansas however is but to attain a register win on the 1.5-mile tri-oval.
Nevertheless, the rostrum end on Sunday has elevated him from sixth to 3rd within the championship standings, behind Hendrick Motorsports duo Larson and William Byron.
