'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Kyle Busch and rival Christopher Bell locked horns post their sixth NASCAR Cup Series weekend as the former confronted the Joe Gibbs Racing driver for his wreck on Turn 1.
The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix flagged off on the Circuit of the Americas, spanning 68 laps of high-octane action. Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron collected his second win of the season after triumphing at the season-opener Daytona 500.
For the first time since the Cup Series race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2019, the 231.88-mile run at COTA witnessed no cautions. Though a few stage wrecks were seen at some point or other, none were grave enough to prompt a caution.
On lap 40, at Turn 1, Christopher Bell nudged Kyle Busch's #8 Chevrolet as the duo tried to carve their way ahead of each other, spinning out the two-time Cup Series champion's ride, but no caution was issued. However, the contact by the JGR driver seemingly didn't fit well with Busch.
Shortly after the conclusion of the sixth Cup Series weekend, the RCR driver confronted Bell, resulting in a heated exchange.
Christopher Bell gives his take after wrecking Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson at COTA
The 29-year-old Oklahoman bagged the runner-up spot and Stage 1 win at the 68-lap race after fighting for contention with William Byron (P1), Ty Gibbs (P3), and Alex Bowman (P4) until the checkered flag dropped.
However, amid his pursuit of dominance, the 2024 United Rentals Work United 500 winner wrecked not only Kyle Busch on lap 40 but also bumped into Kyle Larson on lap 21. Larson didn't pursue the crash unlike Busch, who within no time, confronted the JGR driver.
Nevertheless, Bell had a different stance and talked about sorting things up before the next Cup Series weekend, which commences at the Richmond Raceway. During his post-race interview, he said:
“The Larson deal, that was totally on me and I had no intentions of spinning Kyle out. Kyle Busch, he opened his entry way up into Turn 1 because they were side-by-side, and I ran my normal line on the bottom and wasn’t planning on passing him."
Christopher Bell added:
"He tried to do the crossover and I was underneath him. Obviously, I didn’t mean to spin him out at all. I will reach out to him and talk to him whenever we’re a little bit cooled off.”
