Christopher Bell won Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race from the pole at Darlington Raceway after leading a race-high 108 laps (of 150) in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 GR Supra. Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sheldon Creed passed Bell late in the race and was leading before a caution came out with three laps to go. Bell won the race off pit road, battling competitors in the overtime finish to earn his 19th Xfinity Series victory and the second this season. Creed led 30 laps in Saturday’s race at Darlington to earn his 11th top-five of the year.
Chandler Smith also finished in the top-10 for Toyota with a ninth-place result in the JGR No. 81 GR Supra.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Darlington Raceway
Race 23 of 33 – 200.802 Miles, 147 Laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, CHRISTOPHER BELL
2nd, Cole Custer*
3rd, SHELDON CREED
4th, Chase Elliott*
5th, Sammy Smith*
8th, CHANDLER SMITH
11th, JOE GRAF JR.
25th, COREY HEIM
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 1st
How did you keep your car in line after the contact with Cole Custer?
“I don’t know. I need to see a replay of it. That was wild for sure. Darlington is just such a tough race track and off of (turn) two whether you’re on the bottom or the top, it like flushes you toward the wall and you kind of get a wiggle coming down. Once again, I feel terrible for Sheldon (Creed) to essentially win the race. He passed me on the long run there and then then to lose the lead on pit road is a big bummer. Really, really happy to win in this Sport Clips Supra. Tyler Allen (crew chief), what can I say, man. He’s been killing it this year and I’m just lucky I get to drive for him.”
How rewarding is the win today knowing all you had to overcome today?
“Yeah, I don’t know. It seemed like our car was really good on the short run. Obviously, the 18 (Sheldon Creed) was really good on the long run. Unfortunately, for him, the race played out differently and fortunately for us we got another shot at it.”
How important was that final pit stop?
“Those guys won us the race and without them I’m not going to win the race so thank you to the pit crew as well.”
Did your pit crew win this race for the 20 team today?
“Yeah, this one is on the pit crew. Those guys did amazing all day long. Just kept us in the game and then obviously kept us in position with the lead there on that last pit stop. You win some, you lose some and I’m glad we won it that way.”
How technical of a race was it today?
“It’s Darlington. You’ve got to really drift the car around this place. I might have been drifting a bit too much today, but this thing was really good on the short run and a little bit loose on the long run. That’s what it’s all about. It was a lot of fun.”
What’s the biggest thing you learn from a run like today for tomorrow’s Southern 500?
“Take care of the car and be there at the end, that’s for sure. You’re never out of it until the checkered flag falls.”
SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
You’re shaking your head. You can’t believe it, can you?
“No. I lost one the same way a few years ago here. Just this has always been a really good place for me. I’ve always loved racing here. Just, man, I don’t know what to do to be any better than that. I felt like I put in one of my best performances today. I love my pit crew, and they do a great job for us. I can’t blame that on them, we just got beat on pit road today so bummer.”
Toyota Racing PR
