BARBERVILLE, Fla. — It seemed like NASCAR night time at Volusia Speedway Park Thursday night time with Cup Collection stars Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson main the World of Outlaws NOS Vitality Drink Dash Automotive Collection discipline house within the season’s first points-paying race.
Bell’s triumph in Donnie Kreitz’s No. 69K got here on the expense of Emerson Axsom, who was main the 25-lap A-main with a bit greater than two laps to go when he spun in flip 4, passing the result in Bell, who then needed to combat off Larson on the race’s solely restart to say the win.
Bell began on the pole by advantage of his sprint win with Logan Schuchart alongside and Axsom and Larson behind them. Axsom received a terrific begin and scooted to second on the break with Schuchart and Larson dropping in behind. He then started making an attempt Bell for the lead and on lap 5 received a low aspect run to show three, ran even for a methods after which took command as they hit flip one.
Two laps later Axsom, who’d run out to a stable lead, started lapping the again markers as Schuchart tried to get round Bell to no avail. Larson then dropped Schuchart to 3rd at midway and started difficult Bell as they dueled via site visitors.
The duo was steadily gaining on Axsom when he went round in flip 4 in entrance of the sphere, drawing the race’s solely yellow flag.
The restart noticed Larson go excessive in turns one and two and practically draw alongside Bell, a transfer he would repeat with out success till the checkers flew two laps later. In the meantime, behind the leaders, Twelfth-starting David Gravel had wrestled fourth from Donny Schatz, who had lined up a row behind him with Brad Candy and Invoice Balog following swimsuit.
With Bell, Larson and Schuchart on the rostrum, Gravel claimed fourth forward of Candy.
“That was lots of enjoyable,” declared Bell, who drove Don Kreitz Jr.’s acquainted No. 69k machine. “It was going to be a heck of a end as a result of I used to be catching Emerson steadily. It’s straightforward to spin right here and it labored to our benefit tonight.
“On the restart, I heard Kyle on the market and simply informed myself I needed to run the very best laps I might and I’d be OK. It was nice to get to drive Donald’s automotive, a deal arrange by one of many guys who works at JGR. It led to an superior night time for all of us.”
Bell beat Larson to the checkered flag by .05 seconds to win his first World of Outlaws characteristic since 2019 and the sixth of his profession.
Larson tipped that he’d “run in all places via the race however on the finish, the highest was the place to be. I suppose I might have executed one thing totally different however don’t know what it could have been. I must stroll it again in a while and see if something involves thoughts.”
As for Schuchart, he thought his automotive felt higher than within the opener the place he additionally ran nicely.
“I felt like I drove a great race however I used to be carrying the nostril just a bit greater than I might have favored. Nevertheless it took us some time to get a podium final 12 months and right here we’re tonight so I’m blissful.”
Larson was the night time’s quickest qualifier, main Flight A with a lap of 13.262 seconds with Bell barely slower as he led Flight B.
The end:
Function (25 Laps): 1. 69K-Christopher Bell[1]; 2. 57-Kyle Larson[4]; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart[2]; 4. 2-David Gravel[12]; 5. 49-Brad Candy[9]; 6. 17B-Invoice Balog[6]; 7. 15-Donny Schatz[13]; 8. 26-Justin Peck[11]; 9. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[10]; 10. 10-Ryan Timms[21]; 11. 83-Michael Kofoid[19]; 12. 41-Carson Macedo[7]; 13. 21-Brian Brown[5]; 14. 71-Parker Value Miller[22]; 15. 24D-Danny Sams III[8]; 16. 39M-Anthony Macri[15]; 17. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[17]; 18. 1A-Jacob Allen[23]; 19. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[25]; 20. 7S-Chris Windom[20]; 21. 27-Emerson Axsom[3]; 22. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[24]; 23. 2C-Cole Macedo[27]; 24. 23-Garet Williamson[16]; 25. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[14]; 26. 88-Austin McCarl[18]; 27. 6-Zach Hampton[26]; 28. 99-Skylar Gee[28]
