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Christopher Bell blows a brake rotor during Stage 2 of NASCAR Championship

JHby:Jonathan Howard•11/05/23•

Jondean25

Christopher Bell Phoenix Championship
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Christopher Bell is out of the race as he blows a brake rotor and slams into the wall at Phoenix. His NASCAR Championship aspirations are over. A brake rotor blew and that will end his day in Phoenix. A heartbreaking end to the day for Bell and his team.

There was talk on the radio that Christopher Bell’s brakes were hot. Well, they got too hot. The brake rotor exploded in the wheel and that’s going to be too much to overcome. We saw similar issues at Gateway earlier this season, but no one thought it would happen at Phoenix.

Now, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Larson will battle for a championship in Phoenix. Bell is done for the day.

Christopher Bell was the only driver to make the Championship 4 this year from last year’s Championship 4. He will also be the first driver eliminated in this race. That’s just how NASCAR goes. From fighting for a championship to getting put into the wall.

For all of his clutch performances in the NASCAR Playoffs, he couldn’t drive himself out of this one. That brake got too hot, his team knew it was happening. When your car gets in that situation, it just can’t really fix it.

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Christopher Bell ends his day early at Phoenix

So, what went wrong with Christopher Bell? Likely a combination of things. The bottom line is, his brakes got too hot. While he had a really good car in practice on the long run, his brakes didn’t last to the really long runs of the race.

After he got out of the care center, Bell talked to the NBC broadcast about the wreck.

“That was my first time I’ve ever exploded a rotor in my career, so yeah I was surprised. … I don’t know, obviously just a disappointing way to end but just super super proud of this 20 team,” Bell said.

When asked if the car showed the same issues in practice, Bell said it was fine for the most part.

“Not from my standpoint in the car, no.”

At the end of this, it just stinks that Christopher Bell won’t get to race for the championship. It was getting good with Byron, Blaney, Bell, and Larson all in the top-6 at one point during Stage 2.

“Yeah I mean it stings to not have the shot at the end of it.”