Following a violent collision with Chase Elliott during the final stage of the FireKeepers Casino 400, team owner Joe Gibbs revealed that Christopher Bell sustained multiple injuries.
While Bell was evaluated and released from the track’s infield care center, his extended stay inside the care center decision not to speak with the media signaled that the impact took a significant physical toll.
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Reflecting on the crash, Coach Gibbs addressed the situation during the post-race press conference following JGR driver Denny Hamlin‘s victory. He confirmed that Christopher Bell did not emerge unscathed, revealing the No. 20 Toyota driver is dealing with wrist and ankle injuries.
“We’re gonna continue tonight when he gets home, Gibbs said. “We’re gonna make sure that he gets everything that he needs to get there, whatever it might be, and then we’ll just have to kind of wait. It was his wrist and his ankle, I think. So we’re just gonna have to wait.”
The incident occurred on Lap 148 when Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet got loose, wiggled, and shot up the track. The sudden momentum change hooked his car directly into Bell’s Camry, slamming it into the outside SAFER barrier. The impact led to the officials raising a 25-minute red flag just to complete the necessary wall repairs.
Here’s a look at the crash between Bell and Elliott:
The incident ended a promising run for Bell as Joe Gibbs Racing manage serious health concerns heading into the upcoming race weekend at Pocono.
Back-to-back heartbreaks for Christopher Bell the 2026 NASCAR season
Before getting wrecked in this unfortunate situation, Christopher Bell lost his chance for his maiden win of the season in the final moment of last week’s Nashville race. The No. 20 driver was gutted when he lost to teammate Denny Hamlin in a four-lap shootout for the victory.
In his post-race conversation on May 31, Bell said:
“I didn’t need anything. My car was amazing. I had the right strategy, the right everything and I did not win the race. I didn’t do a good job of driving, and I have no one to blame but myself.”
Furthermore, Bell added:
“There’s nobody to blame, no circumstances. It was all completely in my hands and I dropped the ball. There’s literally nobody that had anything to do with losing the race except me and it sucks.”
After 15 starts in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Bell has five top-fives and six top-10 finishes.
Edited by Sashwat Deo