Christopher Bell, despite having the best car at Las Vegas, finished second in a dramatic NASCAR playoff race, and some are questioning Ryan Blaney’s role in the outcome. Bell fell just short of victory after what many saw as a coordinated effort by Team Penske, with Blaney blocking on behalf of his teammate Joey Logano.
Logano secured the win using a fuel-saving strategy, proving once again that it isn’t always the fastest driver who takes the checkered flag. As Blaney, who finished a distant P32, ran close to Logano in the final laps, questions arose about his intent to protect his teammate.
After the race, Bell addressed the situation. He wasn’t upset and saw Blaney’s actions as part of the game. “Regardless of how much time he had, the 12 car [Blaney] was with Joey trying to play defense for him,” Bell explained, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “So, it was going to take the right move to get by him, but we had almost 40 lap newer tires… I think it’s fair game, and you know, props to him.”
Bell even acknowledged that Blaney’s role wasn’t necessarily beneficial for himself. “I think the 22 [Logano] winning was probably bad for the 12 [Blaney] because they’re racing each other for points to get in,” Bell added. “Penske won the race and got one car in, so they did it right.”
Despite leading the most laps and having a solid strategy, Bell’s effort came up just short, finishing less than half a second behind Logano. His heartbreak at Las Vegas continues, as he and his team once again failed to capitalize in this critical playoff race.
Meanwhile, Joey Logano, who seemed down and out just a week ago, secured his spot in the Phoenix Championship race with the win. Like in 2018 and 2022, Logano’s Las Vegas mastery and fuel-saving strategy locked him into the final round of the playoffs, proving his and Team Penske’s dominance at the track.
For Bell, it was a frustrating end to a strong race. But with Homestead-Miami up next—a track he won at last year—he still has a great opportunity to bounce back and secure his own place in Phoenix.
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