HAMPTON, Ga. — Christopher Bell took home a nail-biting victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. He narrowly beat Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson in overtime, crossing the finish line just ahead on the final lap.
Bell, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, led only the last lap after a chaotic race. The overtime was triggered by a wreck involving Josh Berry, which brought out the caution lights. “That last lap of the race we were at our best,” Bell shared after his win. This victory marked his tenth in the Cup Series.
Austin Cindric had been in the lead earlier in the race, driving his Team Penske Ford. However, things took a turn when he and Daytona 500 winner William Byron collided with just three laps to go, leading to the overtime finish.
Kyle Busch finished seventh, continuing his search for a win in the Cup Series. Despite winning the Atlanta Truck Series race the day before, his winless streak in the Cup since 2023 remains alive. Last year, he ended a 19-year run of winning at least one race each season.
Kyle Larson had a rough history at Atlanta, failing to finish in the top spots for several races. However, he turned things around this time, qualifying 17th and winning the second stage.
In another twist, Chase Elliott, in the top ten, hit the wall late in the race, which also took out Brad Keselowski. Elliott ended the race in 18th place. Daniel Suarez’s chance for a win went up in smoke as well when he was caught in a seven-car crash early in the third stage, joining drivers like Cole Custer and Noah Gragson in the wreck.
Despite a late spin, Ryan Blaney managed to bounce back, finishing in fourth place.
On a lighter note, Billy Gibbons from the rock band ZZ Top served as the grand marshal and kicked off the race with the classic “start your engines” command.
In team news, 23XI Racing announced a multiyear deal with Corey Heim as a development driver. Heim will take the wheel in several Cup Series races and will also compete in the Xfinity series. His first Cup race is set for May 11 at Kansas Speedway.
Next up for the Cup Series is a stop in Austin, Texas, at the Circuit of the Americas next Sunday.
