Ambetter Health 400 | Christopher Bell Wins | Final Standings
The NASCAR Cup season is in full swing, and another check has been ticked off for drivers with the Ambetter Health 400. Joe Gibbs driver No. 20 Christopher Bell led the charge on Sunday night at Atlanta Motorspeedway, dominating the field of 39. Kyle Larson and rising star Carson Hocevar edged him for several laps, but Bell remained unfazed and set on holding the field.
Christopher Bell Emerges Victorious
Knowing Bell could elude him, Kyle Larson maintained an edge up into the last lap of the Ambetter Health 400. He tried to gain on Bell until a collision ensued. Larson was then left in the dust after making contact with Penske driver Austin Cindric’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
Also caught in the scuffle was Daytona 500 winner William Byron, racing against the clock to contend with Bell, Larson, and Hocevar. The yellow flag was dropped as debris littered the back straightaway at Atlanta Motorspeedway, and caution was out.
The Ambetter Health 400 was then declared in overtime. Yet, once the post-collision debris was cleared, Bell trailed Larson until an aggressive bump draft by Carson Hocevar stirred a multi-car collision with Josh Berry.
Christopher Bell bypassed the wreckage and crossed the finish line for his 10th career cup win at the Ambetter Health 400. The JGR driver spoke candidly about his win, mentioning the struggle with Larson on the final lap.
“This style of racing has just always been a little bit of a struggle for me, and throughout the beginning of the day, we obviously were just stuck way in the back,” Bell said of his Sunday win.”Crew chief Adam Stevens and these boys back here, they did an amazing job getting this thing fixed up to where I could just hold my foot down.”
“That’s what it’s all about.” “You have to be able to stay in the throttle, and that last half of the race we were at our best,” he added.
Ambetter Health 400: NASCAR Cup Series Resultsย |
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| Startย | Finish | No.ย | Driverย | Team |
| P32 | P1ย | #20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racingย |
| P26 | P2ย | #77 | Carson Hocevar | Spire Motorsportsย |
| P16 | P3ย | #05 | Kyle Larsonย | Hendrick Motorsportsย |
| P1 | P4 | #12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penskeย |
| P34 | P5ย | #47 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | HYAK Motorsportsย |
| P37 | P6 | #11 | Denny Hamlinย | Joe Gibbs Racingย |
| P6 | P7 | #08 | Kyle Buschย | Richard Childress Racingย |
| P33 | P8 | #1 | Ross Chastainย | Trackhouse Racingย |
| P14ย | P9 | #23 | Bubba Wallaceย | 23XL Racingย |
| P22 | P10 | #42 | John Hunter Nemechek | Legacy Motorclubย |
| P7 | P11 | #38 | Zane Smith | Front Row Motorsportsย |
| P4 | P12ย | #22 | Joey Loganoย | Front Row Motorsportsย |
| P24 | P13ย | #71 | Michael McDowellย | Spire Motorsportsย |
| P12 | P14ย | #16 | AJ Allmendinger | Kauling Racingย |
| P5 | P15 | #34 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsportsย |
| P15 | P16ย | #03 | Austin Dillonย | Richard Childress Racingย |
| P27 | P17 | #35 | Riley Herbstย | 23XL Racingย |
| P11 | P18 | #60 | Ryan Preeceย | RFK Racingย |
| P19 | P19 | #45 | Tyler Reddickย | 23XL Racingย |
| P18 | P20 | #09 | Chase Elliotย | Hendrick Motorsportsย |
| P25 | P21 | #19 | Chase Briscoeย | Joe Gibbs Racingย |
| P38 | P22 | #78 | BJ McLeodย | Live Fast Motorsports |
| P30 | P23 | #88 | Shane Van Gisbergenย | Trackhouse Racingย |
| P21 | P24 | #07 | Justin Haleyย | Spire Motorsportsย |
| P3 | P25 | #21 | Josh Berryย | Wood Brothers Racingย |
| P13 | P26 | #48 | Alex Bowmanย | Hendrick Motorsportsย |
| P17 | P27 | #24 | William Byronย | Hendrick Motorsportsย |
| P2 | P28 | #02ย | Austin Cindricย | Team Penskeย |
| P20 | P29 | #10 | Ty Dillonย | Kauling Racingย |
| P8 | P30 | #17 | Chris Buescherย | RFK Racingย |
| P28 | P31 | #43 | Erik Jonesย | Legacy Motorclubย |
| P36 | P32 | #54 | Ty Gibbsย | Joe Gibbs Racingย |
| P29 | P33 | #99 | Daniel Suarezย | Trackhouse Racingย |
| P10 | P34 | #04ย ย | Noah Gragsonย | Front Row Motorsportsย |
| P31 | P35 | #51ย | Cody Wareย | Rick Ware Racingย |
| P23 | P36 | #41 | Cole Custerย | Haas Factory Teamย |
| P39 | P37 | #44 | JJ Yeleyย | NY Racing Team |
| P35 | P38 | #01ย | Corey LaJoieย | Rick Ware Racingย |
| P9 | P39 | #06 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racingย |
Final Thoughts
Several moments during the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motorspeedway on Feb 23. stumped JGR’s Christopher Bell, but he held on strong. Still, the one that stuck out was the on-track war on the back straightaway with HMS Kyle Larson and SPM Carson Hocevar. The pair edged his bumper throughout the last half of the race, but Bell carried his dominance.
The final lap was when things seemed to fall apart when a multi-car collision involving William Byron and Josh Berry ensued. Christopher Bell, who miraculously emerged unscathed, coursed to clinch his first win of the season at the Ambetter Health 400.ย Can he do it again on March 2nd in Austin? Tune into FOX Sports for the EchoPark Automotive Grandprix at the Circuit of the Americas at 3:30 PM EST
