Christopher Bell captured a decisive win at Bristol Motor Speedway on a late restart, finalizing a milestone Joe Gibbs Racing playoff sweep in the NASCAR Cup Series first round. Bell’s victory, which featured a tense finish over Brad Keselowski by just 0.343 seconds, ensured Joe Gibbs Racing’s presence dominated the championship run as the focus keyword, “Joe Gibbs Racing playoff sweep,” was firmly put in the spotlight on Saturday night.
Bristol Win Secures Dominant Playoff Surge for Joe Gibbs Racing
Bell took control of the race in the final four laps, holding off a determined Keselowski, who was aiming to end his own 51-race winless streak. Bell’s teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe, also among the playoff winners, contributed to an undefeated stretch for Toyotas throughout the opening playoff round. Zane Smith followed closely in third position, with Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano rounding out the top five performers at Bristol.
For Bell, this was his fourth win of the season and marked an end to a 24-race winless period. The event was marked by frequent interruptions, with a season-high 14 caution periods covering 137 laps, as drivers and their crews faced technical difficulties with a new, softer right-side tire. The tire’s rapid wear prompted more frequent pit stops and added drama as each team strategized to overcome the unique challenges of the night’s track conditions.
Tire Troubles and Intense Playoff Battles Shape the Race
Tire management took a central role as teams adjusted to the race’s demanding conditions. Despite drivers managing more than 70 consecutive laps without trouble during practice, race-night changes—including cool weather and a concrete surface unable to lay down enough rubber—complicated matters on the actual track. Many drivers found themselves forced to make green-flag pit stops after just 30 laps due to the concerning rate of wear on the new tires.
The playoff landscape grew even more dramatic with 40 laps to go, when Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford erupted in flames, necessitating an emergency pit stop. Cindric’s team swiftly addressed the crisis, but he lost critical laps and emerged just ahead of Alex Bowman in the standings for the crucial 12th transfer position into the next playoff round. Bowman, having recovered from an earlier spin at lap 100, finished eighth but fell 10 points short of advancing, highlighting the razor-thin margins for playoff survival.
Playoff Eliminations and Standout Performances
Alongside Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, and Josh Berry fell short of moving on in the championship contest. Dillon finished 28th, van Gisbergen 26th, and Berry exited in 39th after a dramatic fire incident. Ty Gibbs, who sought his first Cup Series victory, led for a race-high 201 of the 500 laps but lost considerable time during a crucial pit sequence with his No. 54 Toyota, ending his hopes of a win.
Josh Berry, making his own playoff debut with Wood Brothers Racing, was involved in one of the race’s most attention-grabbing moments. Berry, who had qualified 10th and climbed as high as third, was forced out early due to a fire breaking out in his right-front tire. As flames and smoke engulfed his car, Berry made a memorable exit from the competition.
“That was going to be a lot of fun. We were moving forward. It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but it hasn’t been because of performance. We executed well and ran well, just haven’t had the finishes.”
—Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Driver
Reflecting on a challenging playoff start, Berry added,
“That was going to fall right into our wheelhouse to have a really good night. We were able to make it pretty long on that first set, and we were going to be set up in a really good spot. This one is gonna be hard to watch because that looks like it’s gonna be a lot of fun. … We’ve qualified well. We’ve had good cars. We just haven’t had the good finishes. That’s just part of it. I don’t think you could ever script three last-place finishes in the ways that we’ve gotten them over the last few weeks.”
—Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Driver
Race Highlights and Look Ahead
Among the night’s other standout performances, Ryan Blaney claimed Stage 1 honors, with Ty Gibbs taking the top spot in Stage 2. The impacts from the Bristol race will shape the stories and strategies heading into the next event. The upcoming race is set for Sunday, September 21st at 2 p.m. ET, taking place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and broadcast on USA, where the pursuit of playoff glory is set to intensify.
The Joe Gibbs Racing playoff sweep not only showcased the team’s consistency and strength, but also elevated the stakes for all competitors as the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continue. With relentless energy and unpredictable developments at Bristol, fans and teams alike are bracing for more high-stakes action as the championship battle heads for the next round.
