In real-time, Christopher Bell appeared to have earned the final NASCAR Cup Series final four championship spot over William Byron, but the results were immediately placed under review.
It appeared that Bell had sent his car into the wall and briefly rode around the middle of 3 and all of Turn 4 to the checkered flag, similar to the 2022 Ross Chastain move that sent his No. 1 team to the final four that year but was soon outlawed as a safety violation.
That year, Chastain drove his car all the way around, full throttle from the backstretch, into the wall around 3 and 4 to a transfer spot.
At the same time, Byron was struggling and couldn’t afford to lose one spot without being overtaken in championship points by Bell. Driving a Chevrolet, Byron found himself side-by-side, directly in front of two Chevrolets driven by Chastain and Austin Dillon, who did not seem particularly interested in passing their manufacturer mate.
A controversial run to the checkers on both sides.
— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) November 3, 2024
Byron had his Chevrolet blockade, but Bell rides the wall past Bubba Wallace who looked to be dropping back to give the No. 20 the spot he needed on points.#NASCAR has yet to make an official call.#NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/vZkLtVHtV5
There was radio chatter that implied Dillon and Chastain were at least made aware that Byron couldn’t afford to lose even one spot. That’s when Bell, behind a fellow Toyota in Bubba Wallace, shot up the track in 3 and 4, gained the spot he needed, and then rode the wall. That is to say, nothing of Wallace slowing in front of Bell in the first place.
It took about 25 minutes for NASCAR to decide the race results and the final playoff championship race participants. Bell was sent to the rear of the lap he was on and finished 22nd. As a result, Bell was moved below the cutline, and Byron advanced instead.
Joe Gibbs Racing executives, Coach Gibbs, Heather Gibbs, Dave Alpern and crew chief Adam Stevens then met with NASCAR competition officials where they were told it cannot be appealed. An emotional Gibbs relayed that upon leaving the Cup Series hauler.
A very emotional Joe Gibbs
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) November 3, 2024
"They said we can't appeal" pic.twitter.com/9SLbST3bW1
Byron joins Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, and race winner Ryan Blaney as the championship finalists. The highest-finishing driver of those four at Phoenix Raceway wins the championship.
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