Christopher Bell And Kyle Larson Tangle Early At Bristol In Food City Dirt Race
by Hunter Thomas March 29, 2021 1 commentBRISTOL, Tenn. – Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell were among the more experienced dirt racers heading into the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, but they found trouble early on Monday afternoon.
Just 51 laps into the 250-lap race, Bell spun all by himself while exiting Turn 2. With nowhere to go, Larson plowed into him. Kevin Harvick, Chase Briscoe and Ross Chastain were also involved. Following the accident, Larson was frustrated with Bell and pushed him down pit road and around the track.
Both drivers were running up front at the time of the crash. Larson started from the rear due to an engine change, and he had made his way up into the top-five. Bell was battling Alex Bowman for second when he looped around. Bell said that he had moved up the track to find more speed, but the track was too slick, and he lost control.
“I was just trying to run the water in under yellow,” Bell said. “I knew it was a little bit slick, but I felt like I could go up there and make some time and I kind of entered shallow underneath of it and tried to pick it up on exit and it was just really greasy up there. I hate it for all of our partners – IRWIN Tools, PristineAuction.com, Toyota, TRD. That was a lot of fun, being able to be out there for that first run was really cool and hate it that I can’t be out there longer.”
The two drivers have incredible dirt racing resumes and were without a doubt, favorites heading into the first NASCAR Cup Series race on dirt in more than 50 years. Bell has retired from the race and will be credited with a 34th-place finish. Larson is still running, but he is multiple laps down.
Photo Credit: Hunter Thomas/TheFourthTurn.com
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