Bell, who advanced to the Championship 4 last season with a chance to win the series title at Phoenix, blew a brake rotor early in the race and never was in the fight.
But this time around Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bell rallied to win Stage 2, then drove from 20th to first after the final pit stop and easily held off Chris Buescher (RFK Ford) by 5.465 seconds to earn his first win of 2024.
The win snaps Chevrolet’s three-race winning streak to start the season and gives Toyota a victory at a track where it had led a total of 15 laps in the previous four races. Bell led twice on Sunday for a total of 50 laps.
Bell was among a group of cars that elected to pit on lap 218 of 312, during what turned out to be the final caution of the race.
The top nine all gambled on staying out but Bell, on four new tyres and with plenty of fuel, reclaimed the lead when Martin Truex Jr. was forced to pit for fuel and led the final 41 laps.
Bell’s JGR team-mate Ty Gibbs ended up third, Brad Keselowski was fourth and Ryan Blaney fifth. Completing the top 10 were Ross Chastain, Truex, Michael McDowell, Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick.
Source: Autosport