"The only reason we got up there was because everyone crashed" - Christopher Bell sees opportunity in everyone else's misfortune on the way to P5 finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway

2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Christopher Bell earned another top-five finish at Sunday’s iconic Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 27-year-old driver capitalized on a late race crash to finish fifth in the longest 600-mile race in sports history.

During the post-race interview, Bell spoke about how he bounced back and finished P5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He admitted that the only reason he finished so high at Coca-Cola 600 was because everyone crashed at the end of the race, which gave him an opportunity to improve his position.

He said:

“Really the only reason we got up there was because everyone crashed at the end of the race and gave us an opportunity, but this Yahoo Camry was every bit as capable as the guys that beat us. Disappointing day for sure because I feel like we had something that could contend for the win, but top-five is nothing to hang your head about.”

Joe Gibbs Racing had a great weekend as a team; Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag, followed by Kyle Busch in P2. Furthermore, Bell finished fifth and Martin Truex Jr. finished 12th.

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Christopher Bell’s finishes in the previous 2022 Cup Series races

Christopher Bell is currently competing in his third NASCAR Cup Series season. He has had quite an impressive season and has recorded seven top-ten finishes so far.

Pennzoil 400 was his first top-10 finish where he started the race from his career's first pole. His best performance came at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, where he finished third. Bell put up consistent performances between the Circuit of America and Charlotte Motor Speedway, with the exception of Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 and GEICO 500.

However, it hasn't all been smooth sailing; this season has also featured subpar performances at the Daytona 500, WISE Power 400, Ruoff Mortgage 500, and Folds of Honor QuikTrip.

With a fifth-place finish the previous week, he gained 41 points and now stands 10th in the Cup Series standings with 400 points.

The talented young driver has not won any races so far this season, but he will be looking to convert the momentum into a win at the World Wide Technology Raceway for the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday, June 5, 2022.