1 week Ago By Matthew Neschis
There appears to be no bad blood between Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin after a bump draft gone wrong caused the former to crash hard into the inside wall at Talladega Superspeedway. On lap 52 of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 - in which Austin Cindirc claimed the checkered flag despite receiving backlash from teammate Joey Logano - Hamlin accidentally turned Bell from the lead while attempting to give him a push on the bumper. The tap caused the 30-year-old to spin towards the inside of the track and collect Chris Buescher.
Bell went barreling into the inside wall practically head-on, resulting in the nose of his car getting completely destroyed. On the heels of the harrowing incident, the No. 20 Toyota driver managed to exit his vehicle under his own power and make his way to the infield care center.
Following a quick evaluation, he was cleared and allowed to exit. Tommy Fleetwood's wife makes her feelings clear on 23-year age gap FOX Sports' Mike Joy expresses concerns over future of NASCAR after 'major dump' "Yeah, it definitely was [a brutal shot]. Thankfully, my seat, my HANS, and everything worked really well and I feel pretty good right now," Bell conceded.
"So, yeah, I'm healthy." Rather than blaming Hamlin for the crash, Bell chalked it up to the cutthroat nature of superspeedway racing. "We were certainly just trying to gain momentum.
And it's just speedway racing," he said. "It's Daytona and Talladega, Atlanta has been a little different because you can't be as tight together, but here and Daytona, you have to push. I don't blame Denny at all.
You have to be pushed, and push, and I got turned. Contact sends the No. 20 into the inside wall.
@CBellRacing exited the vehicle under his own power. pic.twitter.
com/7dkdalRtpu — NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 27, 2025 “Denny's a very experienced driver. He knows what's going on,” Bell continued. “You have to push.
I can't say that enough - you have to push to be successful. It's just Russian roulette. Every time you get on the racetrack here, if you're that lead car, you better hope that the guy behind you takes care of you.
” Hamlin, to his credit, shouldered much of the blame for causing the premature end to his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate’s race. "What in the hell? We weren't even up to speed yet," he exclaimed over the radio before adding, "Man ..
. apologies if that's on me. “We weren't even up to speed yet.
I don't know why that would have wrecked him. When he shot down to the bottom, I wasn't even sure I was actually on him." DON'T MISS: Dana White confirms huge UFC title fight everyone wants is 'done' Josh Allen urged to 'call off wedding' to Hailee Steinfeld amid Michael B Jordan chemistry Shedeur Sanders receives apology from prank caller who trolled him during NFL Draft While Elliott admitted that the crash was certainly “brutal,” the Norman, Oklahoma native asserted that he’s suffered far worse.
“It was certainly a lot better than backing in. The wrecks that I backed into the wall, I felt way worse,” he said. “NASCAR, Joe Gibbs Racing and my 20 team put a lot of effort into making sure that my HANS device, my belts, my headrest, my HANS tethers are all the correct length.
And we certainly tested that out today.”.
