Bell loses Xfinity third in post-race inspection

Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has been disqualified from the Camping World 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.

NASCAR officials announced the car failed heights in the front and right rear during post-race inspection Saturday evening. Bell crossed the finish line in the Xfinity Series race third behind Cole Custer and Joey Logano, after being top five in both stages, and would have scored 51 points.

With the disqualification, Bell will receive only one point and credit for last place (38th) in the race.

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“The front was extremely low; the right rear was a little high,” said Wayne Auton, the Xfinity Series managing director. “Which is normally what you’ll see whenever a car on the front sort of tilts toward the front -- the rear’s going to come up. It’s got to go somewhere. So, the right rear was wrong on the car, and then both fronts. Which is on the splitter, where we check every car -- same spot, same position at the platform every time.”

https://twitter.com/NASCAR_Xfinity/status/1145114848566677504

Bell is the first Xfinity Series driver to be disqualified this season under NASCAR’s new at-track inspection policy. Earlier this month, officials stripped Ross Chastain and Niece Motorsports of a victory in the Gander Outdoors NASCAR Truck Series for being too low in post-race inspection after winning at Iowa Speedway.

With four victories, Bell is safely locked into the Xfinity Series playoffs.