Christopher Bell waited 33 races for this one — and when the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs...

facebook.com | Sep 7, 2026 1:05 PM

Christopher Bell waited 33 races for this one — and when the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs finally arrived, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver delivered.

Bell snapped a 33-race winless streak Sunday night, holding off JGR teammate Ty Gibbs by 1.038 seconds to win the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and claim his first victory of the 2026 season.

And considering Bell had already finished second seven times this season, tying a NASCAR record, it's probably safe to say he was getting a little tired of being the guy standing next to the winner during the trophy ceremony.

Bell made his move with 12 laps remaining, taking the lead from Kyle Larson and then putting some breathing room between himself and Gibbs over the closing laps. Larson had led a race-high 99 laps but ultimately slipped to fifth.

The victory couldn't have come at a better time.

The Southern 500 was the opening race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase, and Bell's win catapulted him from sixth to second in the championship standings. He's now just 12 points behind teammate Denny Hamlin, with nine races remaining in the championship battle.

Bell's win was also the 14th Cup Series victory of his career, his first at Darlington and his first of 2026.

Top 10 at Darlington:

🏆 Christopher Bell Ty Gibbs Tyler Reddick Ryan Blaney Kyle Larson Chase Briscoe Josh Berry Bubba Wallace Joey Logano Ryan Preece

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Source note: Star News TV · Sep 7, 2026 1:05 PM.

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Star News TV

Christopher Bell waited 33 races for this one — and when the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs finally arrived, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver delivered. Bell snapped a 33-race winless streak Sunday night, holding off JGR teammate Ty Gibbs by 1.038 seconds to win the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and claim his first victory of the 2026 season. And considering Bell had already finished second seven times this season, tying a NASCAR record, it's probably safe to say he was getting a little tired of being the guy standing next to the winner during the trophy ceremony. Bell made his move with 12 laps remaining, taking the lead from Kyle Larson and then putting some breathing room between himself and Gibbs over the closing laps. Larson had led a race-high 99 laps but ultimately slipped to fifth. The victory couldn't have come at a better time. The Southern 500 was the opening race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase, and Bell's win catapulted him from sixth to second in the championship standings. He's now just 12 points behind teammate Denny Hamlin, with nine races remaining in the championship battle. Bell's win was also the 14th Cup Series victory of his career, his first at Darlington and his first of 2026. Top 10 at Darlington: 🏆 Christopher Bell Ty Gibbs Tyler Reddick Ryan Blaney Kyle Larson Chase Briscoe Josh Berry Bubba Wallace Joey Logano Ryan Preece

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