Christopher Bell notches second straight win, COTA Cup Series Results

Christopher Bell has now won two NASCAR Cup Series races in a row as he followed up his Atlanta Motor Speedway win with another at the Circuit of the Americas track.

Tyler Reddick began the  EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on the pole but the first corner of the day would prove to be an issue as Ross Chastain got into Chase Elliott. Neither driver would prove to be a factor following the contact nor would Todd Gilliland, Denny Hamlin, or Connor Zilisch who also had contact with one another. Ty Dillon would spin on lap 4 as he went around after contact from Austin Cindric. Dillion’s car began to smoke but he was able to keep going.

On the ninth lap of the race Shane Van Gisbergen would take the lead from Reddick with Kyle Busch moving to second as well. Pit stops would happen between laps 15 and 18 with Bubba Wallace winning the opening stage of the race.

Van Gisbergen would lead them back to green for the second stage with Busch getting by him to lead a handful of laps before the two swapped positions again. Kyle Larson and Hamlin would both get penalties for cutting the course with pit stops for most drivers happening after lap 42. Two laps later Larson would lose a tire but the race would remain green as the tire went well out of the racing groove. Ryan Preece, Ryan Blaney, Michael McDowell, Busch, Van Gisbergen, AJ Allmendinger, William Byron, Wallace, Christopher Bell and Daniel Suarez would all earn points at the end of the second stage.

Busch would grab the lead from McDowell on the start of the third stage as a caution came out for a spun Daniel Suarez who was then hit by Connor Zilisch. Busch would keep the lead on the ensuing restart as Van Gisbergen fell to seventh on the restart. Alex Bowman spun on lap 56 but was able to keep going as McDowell would pit two laps later.

Pit stops would start on lap 68 with Bell staying out longer than Busch and Van Gisbergen going the longest. Busch’s lead of three seconds would go away when Denny Hamlin ran into Austin Dillon on lap 78 to bring out a caution. The restart would be surprisingly clean with any bumping and banging cars able to stay on track and keep going.

Larson would spin with 10 to go but would manage to keep going. Bell would run down Busch twice before getting into him with six to go allowing Byron to join the mix. Bell and then Byron would get around Busch as Reddick would join the lead group. Bell would hang on for the win with Byron, Reddick, Elliott and Busch rounding out the top-five.

The win is the 11th in the career of Bell who now has won two in a row for the first time in his career.

COTA Cup Series Results

March 2, 2025