Christopher Bell continued his remarkable campaign with a thrilling victory at the Shriners Children’s 500 Phoenix Cup Race, marking his third consecutive win in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
The race, held on the iconic one-mile oval in Avondale, Arizona, was a testament to Bell’s dominance and strategic brilliance, as he edged out his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin in a nail-biting finish.
The Shriners Children’s 500 Phoenix Cup race victory not only solidified Christopher Bell’s status as the driver to beat this season but also etched his name into the history books as the first driver to win three straight races in the Next Gen car.
The race unfolded with high anticipation as fans and teams alike prepared for an intense 312-mile battle. Bell starting from 11th on the grid faced stiff competition from a field packed with talent and strategy.
The introduction of Goodyear’s softer option tires added an extra layer of complexity, forcing teams to carefully balance grip and durability throughout the race. Early on, drivers like Joey Logano and Ryan Preece gambled on these red tires, surging to the lead before falling back as the tires wore out.
Preece’s bold strategy saw him climb from 33rd to third during Stage 1, showcasing the potential of the option tires when used effectively.
William Byron who started on pole displayed early dominance by winning Stage 1 in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
However, as the Shriners Children’s 500 Phoenix Cup race progressed, Christopher Bell began to make his way up the field to ultimately claim victory in Stage 2 after leading a race-high 105 laps, demonstrating both speed and consistency.
The pivotal moment came late in the race when a caution involving Ty Gibbs set up a dramatic two-lap sprint to the finish. Bell capitalized on his final set of red tires during the restart, capitalising on their superior grip to fend off Hamlin’s relentless challenge.
The final laps were nothing short of spectacular. Hamlin managed to pull alongside Bell multiple times, with the two drivers even making contact in their battle for supremacy.
However, Bell’s composure under pressure proved decisive as he forced Hamlin wide in the final turns and crossed the finish line just 0.049 seconds ahead—making it the second-closest finish in Phoenix Raceway history.
The Shriners Children’s 500 Phoenix Cup race victory marked Christopher Bell’s 12th career Cup Series win and his second at Phoenix Raceway.
“That’s about as ugly as it gets,” Bell said after his post-race burnout. “You put the red tires on, and you’re like, ‘Alright, what I don’t want to happen is go 20-30 laps and get a yellow.’
“That happened. Then, we went 10 more laps and had another yellow.
“It was just all about who could get clear on the restart. Neither of us could. We just racing really, really hard there coming to the line. (Joe Gibbs Racing) ran 1-2. How about that?”
Behind Bell and Hamlin, Kyle Larson secured third place for Hendrick Motorsports with another strong performance. Josh Berry of Wood Brothers Racing impressed with a fourth-place finish, while Chris Buescher rounded out the top five for RFK Racing.
William Byron ultimately finished sixth after his early success, followed by Alex Bowman in seventh and Kyle Busch in eighth. Zane Smith and Chase Elliott completed the top ten, showcasing consistent performances despite challenging conditions.
The Shriners Children’s 500 Phoenix Cup race was not without its share of drama and setbacks for other drivers. A multi-car wreck on Lap 99 eliminated several contenders, including Chase Briscoe, Justin Haley, Brad Keselowski, and others.
Ryan Preece’s gamble on red tires was another highlight of the day. After an impressive surge early in the race, he struggled to maintain his position as tire wear took its toll. Despite the setback, Preece managed to finish 15th—a respectable result given his aggressive strategy.
As the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Pennzoil 400 next weekend, all eyes remain on Christopher Bell and his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team.
