Christopher Bell kept his cool under relentless pressure to capture the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, sealing his fourth NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2025 season. In a tense final lap, Brad Keselowski’s bump-and-run attempt could not dislodge the Joe Gibbs Racing driver from the lead, giving Bell his first win since Phoenix in March. The 500-lap short-track showdown doubled as a playoff elimination race, tightening the chase for the championship and sending four contenders home.
Key Highlights
Christopher Bell wins his fourth race of 2025 and first since March, surviving a last-lap bump from Brad Keselowski.
Ty Gibbs leads 201 laps but slips to 10th after a late pit road mistake and a flat tire.
Alex Bowman, Josh Berry, Shane van Gisbergen, and Austin Dillon are eliminated from the Cup Series Playoffs.
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson suffer late incidents, finishing outside the top 30.
Zane Smith earns a career-best third-place finish, joining Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano in the top five.
Christopher Bell Outlasts Keselowski in a Short-Track Classic
Bell’s No. 20 Toyota showed patience throughout the 500 laps, leading only 12 circuits but striking when it counted most. On the final lap, Keselowski attempted a classic Bristol bump-and-run entering Turn 3, but Bell’s car remained steady to the checkered flag.
Keselowski’s frustration was clear after the race, as he hurled his gloves against his car on pit road following the narrow 0.343-second defeat.
Playoff Drama and Tire Wear
Saturday night marked the final race of the Round of 16. Alex Bowman advanced only as far as eighth place but failed to avoid elimination, joining Josh Berry, Shane van Gisbergen, and Austin Dillon on the outside of the championship fight. Ty Gibbs appeared poised for his first Cup win after pacing the field for 201 laps. A miscue entering pit road during a late stop and a flat right-front tire dropped him to 10th.
Early in the race, concerns over Goodyear’s new softer right-side compound surfaced as heavy tire wear appeared by Lap 25. Teams received an extra set of tires for the final stage, adding a layer of strategy to the night.
Incidents Shape the Field
The high-banked Tennessee track delivered plenty of chaos. Kyle Larson’s playoff hopes took a hit after contact from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. sent him into Daniel Suárez, breaking the No. 5 Chevrolet’s right-rear toe link. Larson spun into the inside wall and finished 32nd.
Denny Hamlin’s evening ended shortly after when a right-front wheel issue launched him into AJ Allmendinger in Turn 3. Hamlin finished 31st. Chase Elliott also suffered significant damage after contact from John Hunter Nemechek sent his No. 9 Chevrolet hard into the wall, though he advanced to the Round of 12 on points despite a 38th-place finish.
Complete Race Results
| Position | Driver | Diff |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christopher Bell (P) | — |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | 0.343 |
| 3 | Zane Smith | 1.522 |
| 4 | Ryan Blaney (P) | 2.622 |
| 5 | Joey Logano (P) | 2.716 |
| 6 | Corey Heim (i) | 2.823 |
| 7 | Carson Hocevar | 3.240 |
| 8 | Alex Bowman (P) | 3.514 |
| 9 | Chase Briscoe (P) | 4.953 |
| 10 | Ty Gibbs | 5.054 |
| 11 | Chris Buescher | 6.568 |
| 12 | William Byron (P) | 7.867 |
| 13 | Justin Haley | 12.365 |
| 14 | John Hunter Nemechek | 1 lap |
| 15 | Tyler Reddick (P) | 1 lap |
| 16 | Kyle Busch | 1 lap |
| 17 | Michael McDowell | 1 lap |
| 18 | Riley Herbst # | 1 lap |
| 19 | Ross Chastain | 1 lap |
| 20 | Erik Jones | 1 lap |
| 21 | Ryan Preece | 1 lap |
| 22 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 1 lap |
| 23 | Noah Gragson | 2 laps |
| 24 | Todd Gilliland | 2 laps |
| 25 | Austin Hill (i) | 3 laps |
| 26 | Shane van Gisbergen (P) # | 3 laps |
| 27 | Ty Dillon | 3 laps |
| 28 | Austin Dillon (P) | 4 laps |
| 29 | Cody Ware | 4 laps |
| 30 | Austin Cindric (P) | 4 laps |
| 31 | Denny Hamlin (P) | 5 laps |
| 32 | Kyle Larson (P) | 5 laps |
| 33 | Cole Custer | 12 laps |
| 34 | Bubba Wallace (P) | 13 laps |
| 35 | Chad Finchum | 42 laps |
| 36 | AJ Allmendinger | 92 laps |
| 37 | Daniel Suarez | 136 laps |
| 38 | Chase Elliott (P) | 189 laps |
| 39 | Josh Berry (P) | 425 laps |
News in Brief: Complete 2025 Bristol Night Race Finishing Order
Christopher Bell claimed his fourth win of the 2025 season by outlasting Brad Keselowski in a dramatic finish at Bristol Motor Speedway. Ty Gibbs led 201 laps but late trouble left him 10th. Zane Smith earned a career-best third. Playoff drivers Alex Bowman, Josh Berry, Shane van Gisbergen, and Austin Dillon were eliminated, while Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson suffered late crashes. Intense tire wear forced extra pit strategy in the 500-lap battle.
ALSO READ: Christopher Bell Eyes First Title in 2025 NASCAR Cup Playoffs Run
