Christopher Bell Conquers North Wilkesboro NASCAR All-Star Race in Thrilling Finish Ahead of Joey Logano

Auto racing fans, buckle up for a packed Thursday recap—here’s everything you need to know about what happened yesterday in NASCAR, IndyCar, and Formula 1.

NASCAR: All-Star Race Delivers Drama at North Wilkesboro

Yesterday’s spotlight was firmly on North Wilkesboro Speedway, where NASCAR’s best battled for bragging rights and a hefty prize in the 2025 All-Star Race. Christopher Bell, driving the #20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, conquered the short track showdown, holding off Joey Logano by just 0.829 seconds after a tense final stint[5]. The top five featured:
- Winner: Christopher Bell (#20, Toyota)
- 2nd: Joey Logano (#22, Ford)
- 3rd: Ross Chastain (#1, Chevrolet)
- 4th: Alex Bowman (#48, Chevrolet)
- 5th: Chase Elliott (#9, Chevrolet)[5][3]

The pole was earned by exhibition race specialist Shane van Gisbergen, but the night belonged to Bell, whose clinical move on Logano after a late restart sealed the deal. A total of 250 caution-packed laps saw intense duels, several multi-car skirmishes, and a raucous crowd relishing every bump and slide.

Bell’s winning strategy centered on a well-timed final pit stop—his crew nailed a sub-12 second stop, giving him clean air for the closing laps. Opting for slightly older tires, Bell bet on track position and his car's short-run speed. The gamble paid off, withstanding Logano’s late-race charge.

Driver of the Day went to Ross Chastain, who sliced from mid-pack after a pit road speeding penalty, overtook seven cars in the closing stint, and muscled his way to the podium[5].

Post-race, Bell said:
> “We just kept working on it. The car came alive at the end—thanks to my crew for a great call on that last stop.”

Championship points did not shift, as the All-Star Race is an exhibition, but momentum is with Bell and his squad heading into the Charlotte 600.

Technical Analysis: The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota found extra rear grip on long runs, while Chevrolet teams like Hendrick Motorsports focused on short burst speed. Ford’s Logano, meanwhile, benefited from a stiffer front setup, allowing for aggressive turn-in[5].

Team Updates: Hendrick’s William Byron finished sixth after an early brush with the wall, while legacy drivers like Kevin Harvick struggled with tire degradation late.

Next Up: NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the grueling 600-miler. Expect changing weather, a newly repaved surface, and the season’s ultimate test of man and machine.

IndyCar & Formula 1

No major races or qualifying took place yesterday for IndyCar and Formula 1—the focus in both series is on preparation for their respective marquee events. IndyCar teams are deep in setup work for the Indianapolis 500, fine-tuning chassis balance and practicing pit stops. Formula 1 teams are en route to Monaco, chasing every aerodynamic advantage ahead of qualifying on Saturday, where track position is everything.

Looking Ahead

NASCAR’s 600 at Charlotte promises strategy mayhem with tire compounds and fuel windows to juggle. In IndyCar, expect slipstreaming masterclasses in practice at Indy, while F1’s Monaco GP will be all about threading the needle through the tight city circuit.

Stat Corner

Lap time deltas in the NASCAR All-Star Race showed Bell averaging 0.15 seconds a lap faster than Logano in the final 20 laps—decisive at this level. Chastain logged the most on-track overtakes of any driver in the top 10.

The competition heats up this weekend—don’t miss it!