NASCAR: Bell comes back late to win Southern 500

Credit: James Gilbert via Getty Images

After seven runner-up finishes in 2026, Christopher Bell finally returned to victory lane, winning the Southern 500 after a pass in the closing laps.

As it unfolded

Tyler Reddick started on pole, looking to defend his Darlington win from March. Daniel Suárez swung from second to the lead on the first lap. Denny Hamlin moved past Reddick a moment later and capitalised on his momentum, taking the top spot from Suárez on Lap 3. Hamlin and Reddick put a gap between themselves and the rest of the field, with Suárez falling down the top 10 throughout the initial part of the stage.

Reddick regained the lead from Hamlin on Lap 29. A competition caution was thrown on Lap 36.

Pit road was busy during the caution period, with nearly the whole field coming for service. Reddick, Hamlin and Ryan Preece exited first and led the restart. The battle between Hamlin and Reddick continued, with Hamlin taking the lead on Lap 45 and Briscoe advancing into third.

Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric kicked off green flag pit stops on Lap 72. Hamlin and Reddick pitted a lap later. Bubba Wallace assumed the lead until Lap 78, which saw Chase Elliott move into the top spot for a single lap. Carson Hocevar and Suárez stayed out the longest, but the lead fell back into Hamlin's hands on Lap 80.

Christopher Bell began mixing it up with the leaders, holding third while pursuing Reddick. Reddick reclaimed the first position on Lap 93. Bubba Wallace mounted a charge against the top three, passing Bell on Lap 100. Six laps later, he slid by Hamlin for second.

The first caution for incident was issued when Brad Keselowski spun in turn four after contact with Carson Hocevar. With fewer than 10 laps remaining, the caution ended Stage 1.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing)

2. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)

3. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

4. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)

5. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

6. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing)

7. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

8. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

9. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)

10. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

Credit: Ethan Smith via NASCAR Digital Media

Reddick pulled away immediately after the restart. Hamlin struggled, losing third place to Blaney.

Keselowski spun again on Lap 146, but made it to pit road without drawing a caution. Another round of green flag pit stops followed. Leader Reddick pulled off on Lap 151. His teammate Bubba Wallace passed him back out on the track, giving Wallace the lead once Kyle Larson and Daniel Suárez came down pit road. After the cycle, Hamlin found himself in eighth.

Wallace headed to pit road on Lap 187, Reddick coming a lap later. The lead went to Christopher Bell then shuffled to different drivers until settling on Chase Briscoe after the cycle ended. Wallace was second, Blaney third, Bell fourth and Josh Berry fifth. Reddick fell to eighth after trouble on pit road.

Bell passed Briscoe for the lead with 15 laps to go in Stage 2 and held it until then end. Larson moved into second.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)

2. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)

3. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

4. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing)

5. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)

6. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

7. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing)

8. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)

9. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing)

10. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

Credit: Meg Oliphant via Getty Images

Both Bell and Hamlin had problems on pit road. Briscoe suffered fuel issues and miscommunication with his team, pushing him back to 20th.

Larson and Blaney led the restart. Wallace pulled into second place, with Blaney dropping to fifth. Reddick made a return to the top five, sitting third.

Hamlin got into the frontstretch wall on Lap 240, damaging his car.

Larson drew out his lead to almost four seconds. Meanwhile, Reddick, Ty Gibbs, Josh Berry and Bell all swept past Bubba Wallace with under 100 laps to go.

Cars began to pit with 90 laps to go. Hamlin was among the first.

Zane Smith spun on the front straightaway on Lap 283, bringing out a caution. Larson and Berry led the field back to green. Berry had a poor start on the inside, allowing Reddick to get by. Bell overtook Reddick a few laps later.

William Byron spun on Lap 315, prompting a caution. An engine problem ended his night. Christopher Bell was the first off pit road, with Briscoe right behind, both overtaking Larson in the process.

Bell and Briscoe were side by side for over a full lap after the restart, but Briscoe ultimately prevailed. Just a few laps later, a caution came out for rain.

Following a red flag, Larson and Austin Cindric led the restart. Cindric fell back to seventh. Joey Logano filled in the second place spot but only briefly before dropping back. Bell, Gibbs, Briscoe and Reddick kept Larson within their sights.

Bell began surging for the lead, diving below Larson to pass with 12 to go. Gibbs made his own move on Larson for second with eight to go. Meanwhile, a three-way fight for fourth ensued between Reddick, Blaney and Briscoe.

Larson struggled in the final laps, sinking to fifth. Ahead of him, after seven runner-up finishes this season, Bell finally found victory lane again, winning his first Southern 500.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)

2. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

3. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing)

4. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

5. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)

6. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing)

7. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing)

8. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)

9. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske)

10. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

11. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

12. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)

13. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

14. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports)

15. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

16. No. 34 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports)

17. No. 71 - Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports)

18. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

19. No. 67 - Corey Heim (23XI Racing)

20. No. 17 - Chris Buescher (RFK Racing)

21. No. 7 - Daniel Suárez (Spire Motorsports)

22. No. 16 - A.J. Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)

23. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

24. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

25. No. 38 - Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

26. No. 97 - Shane Van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing) [+1 Lap]

27. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [+1 Lap]

28. No. 33 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) [+1 Lap]

29. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) [+1 Lap]

30. No. 35 - Riley Herbst (23XI Racing) [+1 Lap]

31. No. 10 - Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing) [+1 Lap]

32. No. 4 - Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports) [+1 Lap]

33. No. 41 - Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team) [+1 Lap]

34. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (Trackhouse Racing) [+2 Laps]

35. No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak Motorsports) [+4 Laps]

36. No. 51 - Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing) [+4 Laps]

37. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [DNF]

38. No. 66 - Chad Finchum (Garage 66) [DNF]