RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Christopher Bell was clearly tired of coming in second place.
Heading into the final long run at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night, Bell and Tyler Reddick were the only two cars in contention to run an alternate strategy, attempting to close out the race on one stop while the rest of the leaders planned for two.
It did not work out.
While Bell briefly led as the leaders took their extra stop, the cars that came back on fresh tires ran him down with ease, making clear that the bold gamble was the wrong call. Joey Logano took the checkered flag , while Bell had to do everything in his power to hold on for a seventh-place finish .
Bell tried to look on the bright side of the outcome after the race.
"I mean it ended up being probably a better finish than we deserved," he said. "The team did a really good job of just staying in it. No mistakes on pit road. No real issues. Probably took a 12th-place car and finished seventh with it. I’m happy with our team. We did really good."
Bell noted that even he was surprised at how fast the leaders caught him after their final pit stop.
"Whenever the strategy started unfolding, I thought I was going to be a lot more in the mix than what I was. Joey, Chase caught me with 20 or 30 to go. I was bummed."
Watch: Bell: 'Better finish than we probably deserved' at Richmond
Bell's bummer mood was clear in the moment over the radio, as he let out a brief, frustrated "Well, damn," to his team as Logano rushed past him.
While not a win, and no, not another second-place finish — he has seven on the year including four in his last six races — Bell's finish helped him score more points that will be crucial to him holding his position in the standings with just two races to go until the start of the Chase.
He's the top driver on the track without a win yet this season, but with just one win in the Chase he could immediately vault himself into position for the championship.
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