By John Goolsby, Prep Sports Editor
MIAMI – Christopher Bell has advanced to the Championship 4 of the NASCAR playoffs for the second year in a row with a win at the 4EVER 400 presented by Mobil 1 at Homestead Miami Speedway.
Bell wins. Courtesy: Christopher Bell and Gibbs Racing
Bell joins Kyle Larson as the second driver in the Championship 4.
Larson clinched a playoff spot with his win at Las Vegas last week.
The driver of the #20 Gibbs Toyota Camry made his way to the front of the field late in the race and passed William Byron with 15 laps to go.
Bell then held off a late charge by Ryan Blaney in the closing laps to claim his sixth career win and second of the season by 1.651 seconds
Larson, who won stage one, crashed out of the race on lap 55 and finished in the 34th position.
Blaney, in the #12 Penske Ford, won stage two and led 53 laps.
Two top playoff contenders, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex, Jr., took hits to their playoff hopes.
Hamlin crashed out of the race and finished 29th, while Truex suffered an engine failure and finished 30th.
One race remains in the Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 before four drivers race for the Cup Series championship on November 5 at Phoenix Raceway.
The series heads to Martinsville Speedway on Sunday for the Xfinity 500.
4EVER 400 presented by Mobil 1 top-10:
1. Christopher Bell
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Tyler Reddick
4. William Byron
5. A.J. Allmendinger
6. Bubba Wallace
7. Ty Gibbs
8. Joey Logano
9. Aric Almirola
10. Austin Dillon
Playoff Standings:
1. Christopher Bell, Toyota, 4,110
2. Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 4,105
3. William Byron, Chevrolet, 4,126
4. Ryan Blaney, Ford, 4,106
5. Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 4,096
6. Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 4,089
7. Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 4,089
8. Chris Buescher, Ford, 4,063
