NASCAR at Daytona Road Course 2021 Results: Christopher Bell Gets 1st Career Win

Jenna CiccotelliAnalyst IFebruary 21, 2021

Driver Christopher Bell walks along pit road prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday, May 24, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

In the first official NASCAR road course race of the year, Christopher Bell earned his first Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
WHAT A BATTLE. Retweet to congratulate Christopher Bell on his first NASCAR Cup Series WIN on the Daytona Road Course! @CBellRacing | @JoeGibbsRacing https://t.co/FyuwMaUiI3

Bob Pockrass @bobpockrass
Bell: "Oh my god. ... Holy smokes."

Bell defeated Joey Logano by 2.119 seconds for the win.

With Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Bell, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott battling with six laps remaining, Keselowski, Elliott and Hamlin got tangled up.

NASCAR @NASCAR
.@chaseelliott spins himself out battling for position with @keselowski! https://t.co/fRWzhSkSb6

Jeff Gluck @jeff_gluck
Ah, I didn't see Hamlin behind Elliott there! Looks like Hamlin got into the back of Elliott as Elliott got to Keselowski!

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
More trouble for Chase Elliott. He's 26th with 5 to go. https://t.co/g0aIhSKiP6

Jeff Gluck @jeff_gluck
Uh...is Christopher Bell going to have a shot here??

The race, which took the place of the canceled road course race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, came nearly two weeks after an exhibition outing on the road course, where defending Cup Series champion Elliott got into a last-lap wreck with Ryan Blaney to pave the way for Kyle Busch's victory.

Elliott had another strong outing Sunday, when he won Stage 1.

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
Stage 1: Chase Elliott! Stage 2: ??? Stage 3: ??? https://t.co/fXCUECba8w

Hamlin, who fell to Elliott by .202 seconds in last year's road race at Daytona, got his revenge in the second stage, overtaking Joey Logano and Elliott to take a lead over Kurt Busch heading into the final 35 laps.

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FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
Stage 2 at Daytona goes to @CocaColaRacing's @DennyHamlin! https://t.co/RdCuUrWMA3

Michael McDowell, who won his first-ever Daytona 500 one week ago in a rain-delayed, wreck-filled affair, finished eighth Sunday after a tough start.

FOX: NASCAR @NASCARONFOX
A rough first turn for McDowell and early damage for Kyle Busch. That escalated quickly. Retweet if you're watching NASCAR on the Daytona Road Course! https://t.co/4fRUsj4WGU

Leaderboard (via NASCAR.com)

1. Christopher Bell

2. Joey Logano

3. Denny Hamlin

4. Kurt Busch

5. Brad Keselowski

6. Kevin Harvick

7. AJ Allmendinger

8. Michael McDowell

9. Ryan Preece

10. Alex Bowman

Next up on the calendar is the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the close of NASCAR's three-week residency in the state of Florida. That race gets underway at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.