Ryan Blaney clinched victory at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, ending a winning streak for Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing, while a pivotal moment on pit road echoed the disappointment Denny Hamlin faced in last year’s NASCAR Cup Championship. The Denny Hamlin Phoenix setback became painfully relevant once again as Christopher Bell, driving the No. 20 Toyota, fell victim to a similar strategy that cost Hamlin the title months earlier.
Dominant Start for Bell Undone by Pit Road Decisions
Christopher Bell led more laps than anyone else in the field—176 in total—poised for triumph at the one-mile oval after keeping his challengers at bay for most of the afternoon. But just as in the title decider last year, the race‘s turning point came during the final pit stops. In 2025, Denny Hamlin had opted for four tires, only to see Kyle Larson take two and race ahead to clinch the crown. Bell’s team, led by Adam Stevens, made the same fateful decision, while Blaney’s crew, led by Jonathan Hassler, gambled with only two fresh tires.
Blaney’s Two-Tire Gamble Seals the Win
For the final stint, Blaney’s No. 12 car won out over Bell’s No. 20, capitalizing on track position after the brisk pit stop with only two new tires. Although Bell rejoined the action in eighth spot, he carved through the field to regain second place. The gap to Blaney was just 0.399 seconds by the finish—yet Phoenix’s short lap count denied Bell the chance to erase the deficit.
Bell Reflects on the Pain of Near Victory
“Yeah, I mean, ultimately, if we had more green flag laps, I think we could have made a run at them. But I don’t know. You win some, you lose some.”
– Christopher Bell, Driver.
“And this one stings, but on a positive side, I’m really proud of our entire team. The pit crew did amazing. Adam [Stevens, crew chief] brought an amazing car. Our engineers, our mechanics did really good. And it’s something to build on. I don’t know. It was a day that we needed. We got a lot of stage points, finished second. So, yeah, just bummed whenever they get away like that,”
– Christopher Bell, Driver.
Penske Celebrates a Perfect Phoenix Weekend
While heartbreak struck Christopher Bell and Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske had much to celebrate. Blaney’s win on Sunday followed Josef Newgarden’s IndyCar Series victory for the team on Saturday at the same venue. Despite Blaney facing his own pit road issues during the race, his team’s bold call in the closing stages set up the perfect finish and widened his record at Phoenix to three wins.
Enduring Lessons from High-Stakes Arizona Racing
The drama at Phoenix illustrated just how critical late-race decisions on pit road can be, not only flipping results in a single afternoon but echoing history for teams and drivers like Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin. As the season unfolds, the Denny Hamlin Phoenix setback provides both a cautionary tale and a motivator for teams aiming to fine-tune their calls when it matters most, leaving fans eager to see which contenders will emerge on top as races wind down to the wire.
"You win some you lose some. This one stings."- Christopher Bell@ReganSmith | https://t.co/kIpAkwq3Do pic.twitter.com/KibGFP25SR
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 8, 2026
