Christopher Bell finished second in Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but he admitted the result was better than expected. Bell believed he had a third-place car all weekend and credited teammate Ty Gibbs for his top-two finish after a late caution disrupted Gibbs’ race.
Bell started deep in the field after qualifying 31st, but used strategy and smart pit calls to move up. On the final restart with 16 laps to go, Bell restarted on the front row beside Shane van Gisbergen. Bell quickly dropped to third but later passed Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman to finish second behind van Gisbergen, who dominated the final stage.
Christopher Bell Gained an Advantage With a Late Race Caution
Van Gisbergen, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, won the race by a massive 16.567 seconds, the largest margin of victory this season. He gave up the lead briefly to Ty Gibbs, who stayed out during a round of green-flag pit stops.
But when a caution flew on lap 65, it caught Gibbs out, as he had not yet pitted. That timing worked in Bell’s favor. Christopher Bell was running 20th after Stage 1 but had worked his way to second behind SVG at the end of Stage 2. Still, he didn’t think he had enough to challenge for the win.
He made his final stop on lap 62, just before the caution, allowing him to keep track position. He restarted in the front group and never left it. Looking back at his race and the overall weekend during the post-race interview, Bell shared (via X):
“I don’t know, but he (SVG) was really good. Ultimately, it was just a third-place day. I felt like Ty, Ty was really good, you know, the yellow flag bit him, and we walked away with second. Both days, in the Xfinity Car, I was a third-place car; today, I felt like I was a third-place car.“
He wanted more today, but @CBellRacing leaves #NASCARMexico with his third top-two finish in as many road-course races. pic.twitter.com/xCMcHbThsO
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 15, 2025
“So I think more than anything, it was just me. I needed to do a little bit more homework to figure out where I can be better to keep up with these guys. The Joe Gibbs Racing Group brought an amazing Mobil 1 Camry, and I can’t really say that it was my car that was lacking. I think it was on me this weekend,“ Bell added.
Bell, who felt like he never had more than a third-place car, was left thanking the timing of the caution and Ty Gibbs’ bad luck for a surprise runner-up finish.
Bell’s Unfortunate Xfinity Series Outing in Mexico City
Christopher Bell had a strong run going in Saturday’s Chilango 150, but engine trouble ended his day early. Driving the No. 24 Toyota Supra for Sam Hunt Racing, Bell started third and believed he had the best car outside the main factory teams.
Late in Stage 1, Bell lost control while exiting the stadium section and backed into the wall. He fell back in the order but recovered well. By the second stage, he had climbed back to the front, even passing teammate Ty Gibbs to take second place.
But early in the final stage, Bell’s car began smoking. He rolled down pit road and parked the car, bringing his race to an end. After the race, Bell said there was no warning before the engine let go.
More: Viva Mexico 250 Final Results: Shane Van Gisbergen Punches Playoff Ticket With Commanding Cup Victory
Despite the disappointment of the Xfinity DNF, Bell remains strong in the Cup Series standings, sitting third overall with 524 points, 80 points behind leader William Byron.
