NASCAR race – A hard crash involving Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott stopped the NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway with 51 laps remaining as track workers repaired a damaged SAFER barrier.
BROOKLYN, Mich. — When the restart came on the 148th lap, the race looked set for a tight run toward the front. Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell were side by side for second, both pressing in the moment.
Then Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet bobbled and skidded up the track into Bell’s No. 20 Toyota. Speeds were topping 200 mph at the 2-mile oval, and the impact sent Bell’s car hard into the outside wall. The crash did more than damage a car—it severely deformed the SAFER barrier. a safety system made of steel and foam meant to absorb the energy of wrecks.
With 51 laps remaining Sunday, NASCAR stopped the race so track workers could repair the barrier.
Both drivers climbed from their cars and walked to an ambulance for a trip to the track’s infield care center. Elliott patted Bell on the shoulder and apologized before they entered the ambulance.
Elliott later took responsibility on the spot. “I’m fine; it was totally my fault,” he said. “I feel really bad for Bell, just taking him out. I was trying to run on the bottom and make use of our fresh tires and at least get to second and hopefully stay side by side with him. I got in there and got free and thought I was going to spin and was committing to spin out. and as soon as I started to commit to spinning. it just hooked up and hooked a right. Unfortunately, it sent Christopher into the wall super hard, and then me shortly there behind.
“Just racing really hard. I felt like that was kind of a turning point in the race. We needed to make something happen. I stepped over the line again and paid for it. … I just told him I’m sorry. Obviously, it was not on purpose.”
The stoppage came after the crash, with the red flag displayed at 5:51 p.m. ET while track workers fixed the damaged section of the barrier.
William Byron was leading when the red flag came out, with Daniel Suarez in second, followed by Ross Chastain, Carson Hocevar and Kyle Larson.
For some, Sunday’s interruption was another reminder of what a difficult stretch looks like in Cup racing. Connor Zilisch. driving for Trackhouse Racing. continued a rough rookie season—crashing twice in the first eight laps and finishing last in the 37-car field. He has finished outside the top 30 in the past three races and is still seeking his first top 10 of the rookie campaign.
“I was really loose, but it’s just unfortunate,” Zilisch said. “Another short race for us. We’ll go try and get them at Pocono next week.”
NASCAR’s next stop is Pocono Raceway on June 14, the series’ lone trip there this season. Chase Briscoe won last year at Pocono to earn his first victory with Joe Gibbs Racing.
NASCAR Michigan International Speedway Christopher Bell Chase Elliott SAFER barrier race stopped Cup Series