Christopher Bell wins Shriners Children’s 500 after a battle that came down to inches at Phoenix Raceway. A late caution set up a dramatic restart, leaving Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson within striking distance. As the laps wound down, the pressure mounted, with the leaders fighting for every advantage. In the final moments, two cars charged side by side to the line. When the checkered flag waved, history was made in one of the closest finishes the track has ever seen.
Christopher Bell Makes History with Three Straight Wins
Christopher Bell is off to a scorching start in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, winning his third consecutive race at Phoenix Raceway. His victory in the Shriners Children’s 500 makes him the first driver since Kyle Larson in 2021 to win three straight races. More significantly, Bell is the first driver in the Next Gen car era to accomplish this feat, further solidifying his place as an early championship contender.
Bell’s win at Phoenix follows triumphs at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Circuit of the Americas, showcasing his versatility across different track types. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has now won on a superspeedway, a road course, and a short oval in just four races, proving he can contend anywhere on the schedule.
This remarkable start puts Bell in elite company. The last driver to win three of the first four races in a season was Kevin Harvick in 2018, a year in which Harvick went on to win eight races. If Bell continues this momentum, he could be on pace for a career-best season.
Christopher Bell Overcomes Challenges to Win at Phoenix
Despite starting 11th, Bell wasted no time making his way through the field. By the end of the first stage, he had cracked the top four and continued his charge in Stage 2, ultimately winning it. His No. 20 Toyota Camry XSE showed impressive speed throughout the race, and at one point, it seemed like Bell would cruise to an easy victory.
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However, a late caution changed everything. With just eight laps remaining, Denny Hamlin, Bell’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, suffered a tire failure and hit the wall, bringing out the caution flag. This erased Bell’s lead and set up a dramatic restart with Hamlin and Kyle Larson lined up behind him.
The final few laps were anything but comfortable for Bell. With Hamlin and Larson pressuring him from behind, he had to execute a near-perfect restart to maintain his lead. Hamlin made a strong move on the last lap, getting alongside Bell as they raced toward the finish line. However, Bell held on by just 0.049 seconds, securing one of the closest finishes in Phoenix Raceway history.
Christopher Bell Edges Denny Hamlin in Photo Finish
The intensity of the final laps was felt both on the track and in the grandstands. As the race came down to the wire, Hamlin nearly pulled off the upset with a well-timed push from Kyle Larson. Despite the close call, Bell maintained his composure to secure the win.
After climbing out of his car in Victory Lane, Bell reflected on the battle:
“Oh, my gosh, man. It was all about who could get clear on the restart. Neither of us could. We were racing really, really hard there coming to the line. JGR ran 1-2, how about that?” – Christopher Bell
Hamlin, who was looking for his first win of the season, acknowledged that Bell had the better car in the closing laps but was proud of the performance from Joe Gibbs Racing.
“The 5 (Larson’s Chevrolet) really gave me a great push on the frontstretch on the (final) restart, down the backstretch. I had kind of position on the 20. I knew he was going to ship it in there. Obviously, we just kind of ran out of racetrack there. Great finish. Great job by the whole Joe Gibbs team to give us some fast cars.” – denny Hamlin
Though Hamlin had to settle for second place, his performance showed that he remains a strong contender early in the season. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson, who was in the mix on the final restart, finished third, continuing his strong form in the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Christopher Bell Joins Elite Company with Dominant Start
With this victory, Bell now has 12 career Cup Series wins, matching his career-best single-season total of three wins in both 2022 and 2024. If he keeps this pace, he could shatter his previous best and contend for the most wins in a season among active drivers.
Few drivers in NASCAR history have started a season as strongly as Bell has in 2025. Kevin Harvick’s 2018 season, where he won three of the first four races, is a recent comparison. That year, Harvick went on to finish third in the final standings. However, Bell’s performance also draws parallels to Kyle Larson’s 2021 championship run, when Larson won ten races and captured the NASCAR Cup Series title.
The biggest difference, though, is the Next Gen car, which debuted in 2022 and has made it harder for any single driver to dominate a season. With parity being a major factor in modern NASCAR, Bell’s current win streak is even more impressive.
Other Standout Performances at Phoenix
While Bell took home the checkered flag, several other drivers had noteworthy performances. William Byron, Josh Berry, and Chris Buescher finished inside the top six, with Byron winning Stage 1 before fading late in the race.
Byron, who won the Daytona 500, entered Phoenix as the Cup Series points leader and looked strong early on. However, as the race progressed, he struggled to maintain the same speed as Bell, Hamlin, and Larson. He ultimately finished sixth but remains a top championship contender.
Josh Berry, who is driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, continued to impress in his first full-time Cup Series season. His fourth-place finish marked his best result of the season so far, proving that he can compete with NASCAR’s elite.
Meanwhile, Chris Buescher, a playoff driver from last year, quietly put together another solid performance, finishing fifth. With RFK Racing showing steady improvement, Buescher could be a dark horse for more wins later in the season.
What’s Next: Can Christopher Bell Keep the Streak Alive?
With three consecutive wins under his belt, Christopher Bell is riding a wave of momentum heading into Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 1.5-mile track presents a different challenge, but Bell has already proven his adaptability across different racing disciplines.
If he wins at Las Vegas, Bell would become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four consecutive Cup Series races. That season, Johnson went on to claim his second straight NASCAR championship, setting the stage for his dynasty in the late 2000s.
However, Bell will face stiff competition at Las Vegas. Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and William Byron have all performed well at intermediate tracks, and they will be looking to break Bell’s streak. Additionally, defending Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney has had a slow start to the season and could use a strong result to turn things around.
Regardless of what happens next, Bell’s early-season performance has already made him the driver to beat in 2025. If he can continue this dominant stretch, a deep playoff run and a potential NASCAR Cup Series championship could be within reach.
News in Brief: Christopher Bell Wins Shriners Children’s 500
Christopher Bell secured his third straight win, edging Denny Hamlin in a photo finish at Phoenix Raceway. His dominance across different track types proves he is a serious championship contender.
Kyle Larson finished third, while Josh Berry and Chris Buescher impressed with top-five results. With momentum on his side, Bell now heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, aiming for a historic fourth consecutive victory.
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