JOLIET, Ill. – Christopher Bell was disqualified from Saturday afternoon’s Camping World 300 at Chicagoland Speedway after his No. 20 Rheem Toyota Supra failed post-race technical inspection.
Bell’s car was found to be too low. He originally crossed the line in third place, behind race winner Cole Custer and runner-up Joey Logano.
As a result of the disqualification, the 24-year-old from Norman, Okla., was demoted to last in the 38-car field. He also loses the 17 stage points he earned by finished third and second, respectively, in the first two 45-lap segments on Saturday.
“The front was extremely low,” NASCAR Xfinity Series managing director Wayne Auton said. “The right rear was a little high, which is normally what you’ll see (in cases like Bell’s).”
Bell becomes the second driver in three weeks to be disqualified, following on from Ross Chastain’s misfortune at Iowa Speedway, where Chastain’s apparent win was thrown out for a similar issue.
However, Saturday marks the first time this season a disqualification has occurred in the Xfinity Series.
Prior to the disqualification, Bell noted that he “just needed a little bit more” to be able to take the fight to Custer at the front of the field in the race.
“I don’t really know what else we needed,” said Bell. “Our Supra was really good and really balanced. It was a little bit tight early and loose late, but it drove really well and that was really the motto of our weekend. I felt really good yesterday in practice. We were just lacking a little bit on the 00 (Cole Custer). They’ve been the class of the field at Homestead the last couple years and they were really good here at Chicago too.
“We know we have to go back and work on it a little bit, but I’m really proud of all of our guys on this Rheem Supra. They’ve been working hard,” Bell continued. “We’re close. We have a good group of guys here in the Xfinity Series and we’re all pretty tough. It’s going to be fun this summer.”
Saturday would have been Bell’s ninth top-five finish of the season.
Michael Annett moved up to third in the official finishing order, with Brandon Jones inheriting fourth and Austin Cindric completing the top five.