Folks, it’s nearly been three days since the All-Star weekend, and we can’t get over just how epic that finish was! Christopher Bell hadn’t come to North Wilkesboro for the All-Star event to play it safe. In a field stacked with veterans and former champions, Bell arrived with only one thing on his mind: winning. But it wasn’t easy, was it? For much of the evening, the three-time Cup Series champion had been in total control of the race. He led 139 of 250 laps and looked poised to cruise to his second consecutive all-star win at the 0.625-mile oval. However, with the clock ticking down and the tension rising, Bell took just five laps to catch the seemingly untouchable Joey Logano. And in the aftermath of it all, Bell 

At the heart of the controversy was the promoter’s caution; the rule, introduced to inject chaos into the race, which gave track owner Marcus Smith the liberty to throw a yellow flag at any point before lap 220. The timing of the caution on lap 217 changed everything, and Logano was definitely not smiling afterwards.

Logano, who usually voices his opinion in support of race format twists, reversed his course this time. “I’m all about no gimmicks with the caution,” said Logano, hysterically, with slight frustration clear in his voice. “I am all about that. I’m a little — me and Marcus Smith aren’t seeing eye to eye right now, okay? I’ve got to have a word with him.”

Bell, however, took complete advantage of that caution, diving into the pits for two fresh tires, while the Team Penske driver stayed out to defend his lead. As the laps started coming down, Bell’s charge became inevitable. His rise through the field wasn’t just about tires; it was about timing, risk, and nerve. And when he finally got to Logano’s rear bumper, he didn’t flinch.

Reflecting on the final intense nine laps during a podcast interview with Kevin Harvick, Bell admitted, “Kevin that was wild, man. That was some of the most intense laps that I’ve had in my NASCAR career so far just closing in on Joey knowing that it’s basically win or bust. You very rarely have those opportunities where it’s like it really is win it or wear it. I felt like it was gonna be an easy pass. I have the two tires. I have the tire advantage on him, and I was able to close the gap. I really thought that I was gonna drive right by him, and then really good moves in front of me to make me slip. Then I fell back and I’m like, oh man, I don’t know that I’m gonna have the opportunity to get back to him, and then thankfully I did. I had enough pace with the new tires to get back to them and I knew that I had to seize the moment. I had to make it happen if I was gonna win that race.”

When Waltrip waved the caution flag with just 35 laps left on the board, Bell seized the opportunity to pit, going for new tires. By the time the green flag came out, only 28 laps were left, and Bell quickly made his way to second position. Every single lap, Logano tried to make his car as wide as possible, cover the inside line, and prevent the overtake. And with 22 laps, that pass almost happened. With Logano on the outside, Bell’s No. 20 tried to slip past, and for a second, it seemed like he’d done it, except the No. 22 used all the momentum it had to make the overtake again.

The 2024 Cup Series Champion kept this up for 10 laps, on old tires, in such an incredible showing. Holding on for dear life and the $ 1 million, it seemed like he’d done it until 10 laps remained, and Bell knew he had his moment. In a gritty pass, he made contact with Logano, holding the inside and moving ahead while the No. 22 scrambled to save itself from Ross Chastain, who sniffed around for a possible pass. But make no mistake, Logano had just lost $1 million with that overtake. And he wasn’t holding back at all.

His rant after the race showed the picture clearly. “It is what it is… He did it enough so I couldn’t get back to him. I was gonna show him what fair was. I just couldn’t get there. I’ll race him the same way. That’s all it is. This race is for a million dollars, I get it. But we race each other every week. We’re like elephants, we don’t forget anything.” 

However, when Bell heard of Logano’s rant after the race, he was confused. “He was frustrated? That is interesting. I genuinely would not have guessed that. Well, I had got to him a couple times before and he made it very difficult on me, as he should. I got my run, and I took the moment, as I should. Yeah, I don’t think that I did anything that Joey has not done, and I’ve seen Joey do much worse. We will continue on.” 

It seems Logano realised the error of his ways. “When I went back and re-watched it, I was like, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. If he did that (move Logano up the track) the first time he got to me, I’d be like, ‘Dude, why would you do that?’ But he made solid attempts to pass me. I ran him all up and down the racetrack. So I opened the door. I set the tone that we’re going to race like assholes. It’s OK that he did that to me. But in the moment you’re just pissed, right? You’re just like, ‘He ran me up the track.’ Then when I watched it, I was like, ‘Nah, it’s probably warranted.’”

With the action at the track, Bell is now advocating for the track’s long-term future.

Christopher Bell has a plan for North Wilkesboro

Folks, NASCAR’s short-track problem is real, and after the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, it finally felt like short-tracks could bring entertainment back to the sport. And Christopher Bell isn’t stopping there. He wants North Wilkesboro to be added to the Cup Series and turned into a points race. “Oh, I think it would be absolutely amazing. Like, just the amount of rubber that’s going to get smeared on the racetrack, you’re literally… line and everywhere in between. And I think it has potential to be serious magic. I would love to have a points race there, go have more cars on the track and adding lap traffic,” he said.

But let’s be real. The action we saw last weekend was with 23 cars on the field. What happens when the number is 40 and they go for 400 laps? Would the action be as fun, or would dirty air and traffic cause problems for drivers?

Bell’s teammate, Denny Hamlin, isn’t too supportive of the No. 20 driver’s idea. He declared, “There’s nothing that makes it more exciting. I think it’s a thought that’s getting embedded in people’s brains, but you’re not going to be able to see anything different. Putting all the cars out there, now you’re going to see 400 laps, the intensity is probably a little less.”

Whether the North Wilkesboro Speedway turns into a points race or continues on its current path will only be seen with time.