When Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson share a track, the tension almost writes itself. Both dirt-track prodigies turned Cup Series contenders; they’ve danced a fine line between friendly rivals and fiercely competitive foes. Earlier this season in Atlanta, Bell couldn’t help but throw a subtle jab Larson’s way—an eyebrow-raising moment that didn’t go unnoticed by fans or the garage. “I’ll be the first to tell you, I love superspeedways,” said Bell after his first win of the season at Atlanta. That race also saw Larson win stage 2 but fail to capitalize as his superspeedway drought continued, and Bell’s dig was deafening.

Kyle Larson’s superspeedway problems are well known, and a 3rd place at Atlanta was his best finish at the track since 2021. However, Bell’s triumph overshadowed the stage win and a career-defining performance. So, when the checkered flag waved at Kansas Speedway with Larson sweeping both stages and Bell settling for another runner-up finish, it felt less like a loss for Bell and more like racing karma coming full circle. This was Bell’s best finish at Kansas, yet it was overshadowed by Larson, his racing rival. Judging by the #20’s post-race demeanor, the sting of this one might linger longer than he’d like to admit.

Christopher Bell struggles and falls short at Kansas

In the spring of 2024, Kansas Speedway provided fans with the closest finish in NASCAR history, as Kyle Larson beat Chris Buescher by a mere 0.01 seconds! While Larson managed to claim victory again, this one was a bit more comfortable and dominant. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver swept both stages and led an astonishing 221 laps en route to his win. However, what would have pleased him most was seeing his dirt rival Christopher Bell in his rear-view mirror as he crossed the line. This is another one to the list of races in the Cup Series where Larson has pipped Bell in a 1-2 finish, and Bell was not happy with his own performance.

Christopher Bell left Kansas Speedway visibly frustrated after coming up just short of victory. In the closing laps, Larson’s front right tire started to wear rapidly, with strings of rubber being expelled by the final lap. Larson had a healthy gap of 2 seconds with 2 laps to go, and that was reduced to just 0.7 seconds by the finish. However, Bell admitted that Larson was not alone. He told Jamie Little post race, “I was surprised he [Kyle Larson] kinda gave up on the top the last couple of laps and pulled down, but I was struggling just as bad as he was. So, I was just trying to get to the end.”

There was some consolation for Bell as he managed to secure a strong haul of stage points at Kansas. “So, overall, to get home second with a lot of stage points was something that we needed after the last couple of weeks,” Bell explained. He accumulated 49 points in total and, as a result, moves three places up in the driver’s standings. Bell, currently, now sits third, with 384 points. He is now 50 points behind second-place Byron (434) and 85 points behind leader Kyle Larson (469). This also marked Bell’s first top-5 finish since Darlington, however, he wasn’t exactly pleased with his car.

Bell continued his frustration-laced interview, saying, “This Reser’s Camry was not quite what we needed. I feel like our day was a product of qualifying well, having good pit stops, and having good restarts, and nothing really took us out of it. Whenever the long-green flag runs came, it seemed like we were going backwards.” Bell had qualified 3rd for the race and maintained a spot in the top 10 for most of the race, but it never felt like he would be able to pass Larson for the win until both of their tires started to deteriorate. Larson was simply faster than the #20 on Sunday.

Ultimately, Bell can breathe a sigh of relief before heading into the all-star race after breaking his duck of top-5 finishes and leading laps for the first time since Martinsville in March! Bell added, “To walk out here 2nd, I’m really happy with, and hopefully we can be stronger when we come back.” It was a bittersweet result at a track where the Cup Series will reconvene during the playoffs, and Bell would definitely have his eyes on retribution.

But at Kansas, Larson’s dominance left Bell unable to hide his devastation, especially after his earlier comments. As the rivalry quietly brews, Kansas may have delivered a dose of karma. Bell’s Atlanta swagger gave way to Sunday’s quiet humility—proof that in NASCAR, fortunes flip fast.

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High-speed action at Kansas brings a table reshuffle

Kyle Larson put on a masterclass at Kansas Speedway, dominating the 2025 AdventHealth 400 for his third win of the season. As a result, he overtook William Byron’s lead in the Cup Series standings! The race began with aggressive, four-wide racing in the pack, but Larson quickly established control at the front. William Byron spun out with 14 laps left in Stage 1 and never recovered, shaking up the championship picture. The first two stages ran relatively clean, with drivers jockeying for position and pit strategy playing a key role.

Stage 3 brought more drama. Brad Keselowski crashed in 2nd place after losing a tire on lap 195, ending a promising run and highlighting the weekend’s tire management challenges. Ty Dillon spun on the following restart, collecting Cody Ware and Daniel Suárez and triggering another caution. Despite these incidents, the field largely avoided major wrecks, allowing the frontrunners to settle the race on speed and execution.

Ryan Blaney finished third, followed by Chase Briscoe and Alex Bowman, rounding out the top five. Notably, Larson’s win marked his 32nd career Cup Series victory and his second consecutive Kansas triumph. Last year, he edged Chris Buescher by just 0.001 seconds in the closest finish in Cup Series history. This time, Larson remarked, “Glad to not win by an inch,” referencing his more comfortable margin.

The race’s outcome reshuffled the standings, with Larson now leading Byron, Bell, Elliott, and Blaney in the top five. Kansas once again delivered high-speed action, strategic intrigue, and a dominant display from one of NASCAR’s best. What did you think of the race at Kansas Speedway? Let us know in the comments!