Bell’s NASCAR Win Streak Ends at Las Vegas After Pit Road Mess

Christopher Bell's quest to match the modern N.A.S.C.A.R. record for consecutive wins came to an end with a 12th-place finish at the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday. With wins this year at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas, and Phoenix, Bell sought to keep his run alive but had several tussles across the race.

“It was a grind today for sure,” Bell said. “I don't really know how I feel yet, but we certainly didn't do what we did the last couple of weeks and that was just have a nice clean race. I think the Interstate Camry was definitely capable of competing for the win when we were at our best, but just going to the back and to the front and to the back and to the front, we just didn't get a handle on the balance, because it changes so much from being back there.”

Bell, who qualified 13th, started near the rear due to unapproved adjustments made after qualifying. His day was further complicated by a pit road mistake: He mistakenly entered teammate Chase Briscoe's pit box, leading to a costly penalty. A loose left front tire on a critical stop set him back, making it difficult to regain track position. 

Although he sliced through the field on several occasions, he had handling issues as well as problems on restarts that hindered a run at the win. The finish is disappointing, but Bell is still firmly in the hunt for the season, ranking second among drivers in points accumulation behind William Byron. Historically, four-race win streaks have translated into championship success for legends like Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson, though Richard Petty's 10-race winning streak from 1967 remains an unmatched feat.

The race also marked the final NASCAR event for Las Vegas Motor Speedway president Chris Powell, retiring after 26 years. Actor Morgan Freeman delivered the command to start engines, adding star power to the event. Local drivers struggled, with Riley Herbst finishing 19th as the top-performing Las Vegas native, while Kyle Busch and Noah Gragson faced tire issues.