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#20: Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Mobil 1 Toyota Camry

Thinkin’ Out Loud at Martinsville: The Fail Melon — a Result of the NASCAR Playoffs

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What Happened?

Ryan Blaney put on a late-race charge to the front to take the lead from Chase Elliott in the closing laps at Martinsville Speedway and earned a walk-off win into the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4. Following behind were Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric and Denny Hamlin to round out the top five on Sunday, Nov. 10.

After Christopher Bell was penalized for a last lap move and relegated to 22nd position, he, Elliott, Hamlin and Larson were eliminated from the playoffs.

See also
Ryan Blaney wins at Martinsville, William Byron Earns Championship 4 Spot On Christopher Bell Penalty

This will be the first time in Cup Series history that no Joe Gibbs Racing cars are competing in the Championship 4.

What Really Happened?

If I had a nickel for every time a driver was eliminated after a race and then placed back into the next playoff round and then had to write about it this year alone, I’d have two nickels.

That’s not a lot, but it sure is weird that it’s happened twice.

Almost exactly two years ago in a race with the same title, Ross Chastain hurled his car into turn 3 on the final lap to gain more points and made the Championship 4. It was dubbed as the Hail Melon. It may go down in history as one of, if not the most, coolest moments in NASCAR history, and it made the playoffs look like a genius idea.

Not so much this year.

This year, it’s Bell and the Fail Melon, and it will likely fade into NASCAR obscurity.

But can you blame him for trying?

Entering Sunday, Bell and the No. 20 team had the best average finish out of anyone in the playoffs bar none. They hadn’t secured a lock in the championship round at Phoenix Raceway but they at least had a nice points cushion.

Yet despite that, Bell found himself tied with playoff rival and Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron on the playoff cut line. All of that hard work and success put into the playoffs was about to go away because of one poor performance at a race. That creates frustration. Frustration creates desperation, and desperation creates the hailing of melons.

And that’s the nature of the playoffs.

This championship format is meant to create those Game 7 moments where a whole season is on the line. It’s meant to make drivers desperate to take chances at saving their season instead of driving normally. That’s exactly what Bell did on Sunday (Nov. 3).

So you can’t blame him for going for it, although that’s exactly what NASCAR did.

But it could be worse. At least there wasn’t any team-based race manipulation going on.

What’s that? There was?

The reason Bell had launched himself into the No. 23 of Bubba Wallace in the first place was because Byron was not going to lose another position to either Austin Dillon or Chastain. Both the Nos. 1 and 3 remained side-by-side for most of the closing laps behind Byron, neither one of them looking to pass the No. 24, effectively creating a wall that held up the field behind them.

Wallace also was supposedly running much slower lap times than normal in the closing laps, which is what allowed Bell to catch up with him on the final lap. So, maybe everyone’s guilty?

But similar to what NASCAR said on the matter, that’s something we can discuss another day.

How’s Tuesday at around 5 p.m. ET sound? When the penalty report comes out?

Who Stood Out?

Blaney only led 32 laps on Sunday, but for a majority of the final stage, he drove as if his life depended on it.

Blaney was in a must-win scenario entering Sunday, and after qualifying 14th, it was clear that the No. 12 team was going to need to work on some adjustments to have a chance.

Work they did, however. For the majority of the day it was the Hendrick Motorsports drivers of Elliott, Byron and Larson that dominated the race, combining to lead 251 of the 500 laps. It appeared as though two HMS cars might qualify for Championship 4.

But if it weren’t for Bell’s penalty, it was going to be none of them. That was the result of Blaney’s late-race charge that came in the final 50 laps.

Blaney’s sudden burst of speed not only saved their race and gave them a win, but it may have possibly earned him a second Cup Series title.

Considering how fast the team was earlier this year at World Wide Technology Raceway, a track similar to Phoenix, and the momentum the team will have after a win on Sunday, he certainly seems like a favorite.

Who Fell Flat?

Say what you will about Bell’s move, but it would never have had to happen if it weren’t for some mistakes made by him and the No. 20 team early in the going. It started with a spin on lap 78.

Bell missed out on stage one points as a result but was able to stay somewhat in contention afterward and even finished stage two in sixth.

But then he had a loose wheel and had to return to pit road under caution. It put him back in the pack again.

The result was Bell going a lap down and unable to gain the free pass, meaning he was trapped and unable to gain any points for himself.

And the result of that, as they say, is history, with Bell eliminated from the playoffs despite he and the team having the best average finish of anyone in the playoffs and a top-15 finishing streak that has lasted since Michigan International Speedway.

By the way, Tyler Reddick was in this race too. Though it’s pretty hard to remember that considering how he performed.

The No. 45 team started 31st and about stayed there the entire race. He finished 34th behind the wall after a brake failure started a fire under the car. Yet they don’t seem to be that upset about it.

Did I mention he’s racing for a championship next weekend?

Better Than Last Time?

Is it the Martinsville of years past?

No.

Is it at least better than the Martinsville of the last two years?

Absolutely.

With the Next Gen car’s short track package under heavy scrutiny, NASCAR and fans have been leaning on Goodyear to create a tire that might make the racing more competitive on the tracks one mile or less in length.

The result? Goodyear’s softest tire compound ever.

Many were expecting the same crazy racing we saw at Bristol Motor Speedway in the spring. Is that what happened? Not really, but there was certainly more passing. Plus we saw plenty of bumping and aggressive racing.

It’s not like what we saw in the twilight in the Gen 6 era on the short tracks, but perhaps it can at least be a temporary solution to the short track package problem.

See also
Another NASCAR Playoff Scandal in Virginia

Paint Scheme of the Race

Three words: hot rod flames.

Justin Haley may not have been having the best of times in Virginia on Sunday evening, but he sure drove a cool-looking car while doing it.

It isn’t the first time OpTic Gaming has teamed up with a NASCAR sponsorship, as the gaming company adorned the vehicle of Corey Lajoie in 2022 as well. However, 2022’s version of the Chevrolet didn’t have bright green flames and a reptilian monster face on the hood of the car, so it’s immediately inferior.

It’s one of those designs that diecasts owners may seek out, not because they’re Haley fans but because it’s just a cool looking car to put on display that might spark a conversation, and those are rare.

What’s Next?

The finale.

The Championship 4 head west to Phoenix Raceway for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship to crown the 2024 series title. The 312-lap event will be presented live on NBC on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. ET.

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NASCAR At Track Coordinator at Frontstretch

Dalton Hopkins began writing for Frontstretch in April 2021. Currently, he is the lead writer for the weekly Thinkin' Out Loud column, co-host of the Frontstretch Happy Hour podcast, and one of our lead reporters. Beforehand, he wrote for IMSA shortly after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Simultaneously, he also serves as a Captain in the US Army.

Follow Dalton on Twitter @PitLaneCPT

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