Christopher Bell broke Toyota’s 15-race winless streak at Atlanta Motor Speedway by edging Carson Hocevar during an overtime caution Sunday, claiming the NASCAR Cup Series’ Ambetter Health 400 in Hampton, Ga.
With three laps to go and Kyle Larson leading, second-place Austin Cindric and Daytona 500 winner William Byron wrecked off Turn 4, setting up a green-white-checker finish.
After taking the white flag, Bell, who led just one lap, moved his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota past Larson and the hard-charging Hocevar before a wreck involving Josh Berry flew the final caution.
Bell won his 10th Cup race in 182 starts and first since last June in New Hampshire.
Larson, Ryan Blaney and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished the top five.
Toyota’s last win at AMS was by Kyle Busch on Sept. 1, 2013.
Starting up front for the 11th time, Blaney was the lead Ford as 10 of the manufacturer’s make occupied the first 11 spots.
Without Blaney leading one circuit, Fords still showed the way through the first 50 laps with Cindric, Berry and Todd Gilliland all taking turns at the point, but the rest of the field filled with Toyotas, and Chevrolets started peppering the top 10 grid.
With his second career stage win, Berry’s No. 21 Ford won the 60-lap first segment with Cindric and Byron just behind.
Ty Dillon’s single-car spin then brought out the second caution 20 laps later. The third yellow flew in another 20 circuits as Erik Jones’ No. 43 ride was clipped by Chris Buescher.
Joey Logano (83 laps led) and Team Penske teammate Cindric ran 1-2 through much of Stage 2, a 100-lapper that had some drivers opting to conserve fuel and run mid-pack while the leaders aired it out.
After Gilliland cut a tire, Alex Bowman’s No. 48 Chevrolet became the first non-Ford to lead a lap, but door-to-door contact between Chase Briscoe and Stenhouse led to Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Corey LaJoie having their cars damaged early on Lap 150.
In Stage 2’s four-lap shootout conclusion, Larson recorded the 10 bonus points by getting to the checkers first. Bubba Wallace and Logano followed.
Due to pitting before the segment’s end, the Chevrolets of Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen traded the lead before the sixth caution waved for a big wreck that collected defending winner Daniel Suarez, Ty Gibbs and five others.
–Field Level Media
