A speeding penalty during the first full pit stop of the Final Stage sent Christopher Bell‘s dominant No. 20 Toyota back down pit road for a penalty and, ultimately, out of contention to win Sunday night‘s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.
Bell had led 115 laps prior to the miscue — topping 600 laps led in a season for the first time in his career — and his Joe Gibbs Racing machine was among the best in the field.
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The resulting pass-through penalty, though, sent Bell tumbling back through the field. Ultimately, he could not recover.
The Oklahoma native won Stage 1 for his series-best 10th stage victory of 2024, setting up for what appeared would be a potential 50-point day and victory. While he did recover to score 50 points on the day, he finished sixth and was not at the front of the field when Austin Dillon mashed Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final lap to win.
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Still, Bell was one of four Toyotas inside the top six at the checkered flag and his speed indicated he remains a title contender as the NASCAR Playoffs inch closer.