The four Championship contenders of the 2024 NASCAR Cup are decided, but not without controversies that has stirred up the hornet’s next. The stage is now set for the final show where Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, and William Byron will vie for the title.
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In a repeat of last year’s surprise, Blaney won the last race of the Round of 8 on Sunday. Byron’s qualification was just as jaw-dropping, especially since it came after Christopher Bell was penalized.
In the final lap of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Byron was cruising in sixth place, just one point clear of the cut-off. Bell, who was lagging at 19th, was only a point shy of the top four. A nail-biting finish was on the cards.
In a tactical slowdown, Bubba Wallace dropped his pace by 2.4 seconds, throwing Bell a lifeline to snatch the crucial point. As the action heated up, Bell pulled a move edging onto the wall, made contact and rode against it before overtaking Wallace. The maneuver momentarily catapulted him into the final four.
The move by Bell was compared to the infamous “Hail Melon” stunt by Ross Chastain at Martinsville in 2022 to secure his spot in the Championship 4.
Speculations on the final moments of the race were aplenty even as everyone awaited NASCAR’s judgement.
NASCAR penalized the #20 driver for his last-lap antics, relegating him to 22nd place. The verdict didn’t resonate well with the die-hards, who accused Hendrick Motorsports of swaying NASCAR’s decision.
A disgruntled fan expressed his frustration, declaring, “Absolute joke of a decision,” while another lamented, “That is a completely ridiculous decision.”
The fanbase continued to air their grievances, with one exclaiming, “Absolute joke. Ignoring blatant race manipulation lmao.” Another skeptic pointed out a perceived inconsistency, arguing, “But Byron has Chastain and Dillon BLOCKING? That’s not a penalty?”
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Bell reels from the decision
Had Bell made it into the Championship 4, it would have marked his third straight appearance in the finals. In 2022, Bell finished third, and last year, he secured fourth. This year, the penalty knocked him down to fifth place.
Bell was at a loss for words soon after the verdict was announced. “I don’t know what to say,” he said.
“I understand that the rule was made to prevent people from riding the wall, but my move was completely different than what Ross [Chastain’s] was. I got loose, getting into the corner a slid right into the fence. I don’t know what else to say,” he elaborated.
The championship race will be staged at Phoenix Raceway on November 10.
