Christopher Bell gets a cookie cake every time he wins a Super Late Model race. After winning the CARS Tour at Orange County Speedway on Saturday night, it may be time for a diet.
Bell won his third race of the season on Saturday night and did it with his usual flair, leading 119 laps and holding off a variety of challengers over the final 50 stages of the Orange Blossom 300 in Roguemont, N.C.
As a result of missing driver introductions, Bell actually had to start at the rear of the field. However, he made short work of the field, driving from 30th to sixth in two laps after missing a multicar crash at the start of the race. He went from sixth to fourth in just one lap after the ensuing restart.
He was second by lap 10 and quickly on the heels of early race leader Dominique Van Wieringen. Bell would take the lead by lap 41 and never look back, adding a CARS Tour victory to wins in the Bruce Gowland Memorial 100 at New Smyrna and Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway.
Saturday was another win and yet another cookie cake with owner Kyle Busch in attendance for the proceedings.
“We had a rough day yesterday and we had some issues with the power steering line but we were good overall when it mattered,” Bell said.
Bell was at his best on restarts, making initial throttle look easy, even if he didn’t entirely agree.
“I don’t know about easy,” Bell said. “I’m not sure that’s the word I would use. I just ran as hard as I could and these guys at Kyle Busch Motorsports gave me a great car. Hats off to these guys.”
The complexion of the entire race changed with the lap two crash that began when Quinn Houff dived under pole-sitter and leader Cole Timm for the lead. Houff spun underneath the Southern National Motorsports Park winner in front of the entire field.
About 10 cars ended up in the proverbial parking lot with Robby Lyons, Matt Craig, Kiel Spaulding, and Brandon Lynn all receiving the most damage in the ordeal. Harrison Burton and Steve Wallace also received slight contact.
The ending of the race was marred by several late race cautions with Bell surviving each of the ensuing restarts with the lead.
The results can be found below.
- Christopher Bell
- Bubba Pollard
- Kyle Grissom
- Cole Timm
- Chris Davidson
- Brandon Setzer
- Trevor Noles
- Brandon Lynn
- Zane Smith
- Chris Fontaine
- Stephen Leicht
- Lucas Ransone
- Quin Houff
- Roger Lee Newton
- Richard Gould
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Stephen Nasse
- Harrison Burton
- Clay Jones
- Grant Galloway
- Lucas Jones
- Dominique Van Wieringen
- Kiel Spaulding
- Gus Dean
- Clay Rogers
- Steve Wallace
- Matthew Wragg
- Nick Robinson
- Matt Craig
- Robby Lyons
