TULSA, Okla. — Fresh off winning the 55-lap Hyper Racing Outlaw Non-Wing A-Feature during the Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink, Christopher Bell showed no signs of slowing down.
Bell captured his third O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions during Monday’s 2nd Opinion Auto Center Qualifying Night.
Leading all 25 laps of the 18th annual collection of event and series champions, Bell was stalked through the middle point of the race by Daison Pursley as the pair approached traffic.
Looking like the game was afoot, that same traffic parted and allowed Bell to slip by before a caution cleared the way for Pursley.
Keeping pace with Bell for a few laps, there was no staying with the KKM/Curb-Agajanian No. 71w, as Bell found the Precision Performance Concrete Finish Line by 1.294 seconds.
Pursley held second over Tanner Thorson, whose inversion draw put Bell on the pole. Tenth-starting, Justin Grant crossed fourth, followed by Cannon McIntosh in fifth.
The finish:
Race of Champions (25 Laps): 1. 71W-Christopher Bell[1]; 2. 86-Daison Pursley[3]; 3. 88-Tanner Thorson[4]; 4. 87-Justin Grant[10]; 5. 71K-Cannon McIntosh[6]; 6. 71-Michael Kofoid[9]; 7. 1K-Kyle Larson[7]; 8. 41-Corey Day[5]; 9. 1S-Spencer Bayston[11]; 10. 23C-Tyler Courtney[12]; 11. 67-Ryan Timms[16]; 12. 21H-Brady Bacon[13]; 13. 1-Sammy Swindell[17]; 14. 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr[15]; 15. 4P-Kody Swanson[14]; 16. 57-Kaylee Bryson[19]; 17. (DNF) 39-Logan Seavey[2]; 18. (DNF) 3T-Brad Sweet[8]; 19. (DNF) 98-Tanner Carrick[18]
