TC Daily Pit Stop: Christopher Bell Caps Off Toyota's Dominant Day at Phoenix with Win; Erik Jones Miffed at Chase Briscoe; Logano DNFs After Getting Turned by JHN

TC Daily Pit Stop: Monday, March 11th 2024

Mar 11, 2024

Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett, LAT Images, Courtesy of Toyota Racing

What a dominating day overall for the Toyota Racing teams, and what a serving of poetic justice for Christopher Bell, who took the win at Phoenix Raceway — where his heart was broken with a brake failure in the Championship Race this past November.

Bell had a fast car, evidenced by his Stage 2 win, and 50 laps led in the 312-lap race, but he had to overcome restarting 20th with 92 laps remaining after trouble on a pit stop, and several drivers leap-frogging him in the running order by utilizing an alternate pit strategy.

He wouldn’t be denied, as he would make the race-winning pass on Martin Truex Jr. with 41 laps to go. Bell would go on to win the race by 5.465 seconds over Chris Buescher, who worked his way up to a runner-up finish.

Erik Jones Miffed with Chase Briscoe After Phoenix Run-In Ruins Top 10 Run

Photo Credit: David Rosenblum, LAT Images, Courtesy of Toyota Racing

Erik Jones had a phenomenal race car in Sunday’s Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway, and as he sat eighth on the final restart of the race with 92 laps to go, it looked like he was well on his way to a great finish.

Until Chase Briscoe slid up the track, while running four-wide with Jones, and others. Briscoe made contact with Wallace, and it sent Wallace’s No. 23 car up into Jones, which put Jones into the outside wall. As a result, Jones would finish a disappointing 31st. After the race, Jones was frustrated with Briscoe, who he felt derailed his race.

“[Chase Briscoe] was dragging us down over and over, restart after restart and he put us four wide because he was slowing us down so much,” Jones stated with frustration to Frontstretch.com. “I got wrecked, so, that sucks. But he seems to have an issue with me every week. If I call him this week, he probably won’t call me back. And I’d love to talk to him.”

Deac McCaskill finished third behind Kvapil and Hall, while Chase Burrow and Kaden Honeycutt rounded out the top-five finishers in the race.

TC Daily Pit Stop: Christopher Bell Caps Off Toyota's Dominant Day at Phoenix with Win; Erik Jones Miffed at Chase Briscoe; Logano DNFs After Getting Turned by JHN

TC Daily Pit Stop: Monday, March 11th 2024

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