Christopher Bell holds off Hocevar, Larson in overtime for Atlanta win

HAMPTON, Ga. – Christopher Bell prevailed in overtime to claim the victory in Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway—officially leading only the final lap and getting the photo nod in a three-wide run as a caution flag came out on the last lap to end the NASCAR Cup Series race.

It marks the second year that this race featured a three-wide run to the end. This time Bell was out front over second-year driver Carson Hocevar and 2021 series champion Kyle Larson as the final yellow flag flew. It was the the 10th career series victory for Bell, a 30-year-old Oklahoma native, and his first on a drafting-type track like Atlanta, Daytona or Talladega. It also marked the first victory for Joe Gibbs Racing since June of last year.

HAMPTON, Ga. — Christopher Bell edged Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson in overtime Sunday in another close NASCAR Cup Series finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Bell led only the final lap in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and had a slight edge on the outside when the caution light came on in overtime after a wreck by Josh Berry.

“That last lap of the race we were at our best,” Bell said.

The 30-year-old Oklahoma driver has 10 career Cup victories.

Austin Cindric led in his Team Penske Ford before he and William Byron, the Daytona 500 winner last week, wrecked with three laps remaining, setting up the overtime.

Kyle Busch finished seventh, ending his hopes of snapping a winless streak in the Cup Series. Busch won the Atlanta Truck Series race Saturday but is still looking for his first Cup win since 2023 after having his NASCAR-record 19-year streak with at least one win end last year.

Larson failed to finish the past four and five of the past six Atlanta races and was involved in accidents in each of the six.

Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates claimed the spotlight in NASCAR’s first two weeks. Chase Elliott won The Clash on Feb. 2 before Byron avoided late wrecks to win the Daytona 500.

Larson’s string of bad luck ended Sunday after he qualified only 17th. Larson, the 2021 Cup champion, surged late to win the second stage.

WRECKS FOR ELLIOTT, SUAREZ

Elliott was in the top 10 when his Hendricks Motorsports Chevrolet hit the wall late in the second stage and then hit Brad Keselowski’s RFK Racing Ford, ending Keselowski’s race. Elliott finished 18th.

Daniel Suarez, who edged Ryan Blaney and Busch in a thrilling three-wide finish in Atlanta’s 2024 February race, had his hopes for a repeat win end when he was involved in a seven-car crash early in the third stage. Cole Custer, Ty Gibbs, Cody Ware, Noah Gragson and J.J. Yeley also were involved.

Blaney was in contention before his late one-car spin caused a caution, but he rallied to finish fourth.