Bell fends off Logano to win NASCAR All-Star Race, $1M prize

NASCAR Cup Series driver Christopher Bell (20) celebrates winning the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Christopher Bell fends off Joey Logano to win NASCAR All-Star Race, $1M prize

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated May 18, 2025 10:39 PM ET

It was a million-dollar move from Christopher Bell with 10 laps to go that ended up winning the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

After a fierce, lengthy battle between Bell and Joey Logano, Bell got to the inside of Logano on the entry of Turn 1. After forcing Logano up the track in Turn 2, Bell muscled his way by the three-time Cup Series champion in Turn 3 and drove off into the Wilkes County sunset.

In a similar fashion to Saturday's heat race, it was a two-tire call from crew chief Adam Stevens that proved to be the winning strategy for Bell and the No. 20 team. With Logano staying out under the final yellow flag, the No. 22 was at a tire deficit on the final run that Bell took advantage of.

Bell's pit crew got him off pit road first on the final stop, which enabled him to restart in third for the final restart.

"That right there is absolutely incredible," Bell told Fox Sports. "Without them (the pit crew), I'm nobody."

HE'S FIRED UP! pic.twitter.com/6clInex61H
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 19, 2025

"North Wilkesboro, how 'bout that one!"

While Bell celebrated, Logano was none too happy about the finish. An All-Star repeat was not to be despite the No. 22 leading 139 laps.

"I'm pissed off right now," Logano told Fox Sports. "Dang it, we had the fastest car. Trying to choose my words wisely on the caution situation, obviously I'm the one that got bit by it so I'm frustrated."

The caution situation in question was the promoter's caution, a new invention for this year's All-Star Race. The yellow flew on Lap 216 when Logano was firmly in the lead.

"I thought may be we could hold 'em off, but the No. 20 had a good enough restart to clear too many of them too fast," Logano said. "I couldn't get away in time. I did all I could do to hold them off. He got under me, released the brake and (I) had no option, kinda just ran me up into the wall. If I could've got to him, he was going around after a move like that, I just couldn't get back to him.

"I'm all about no gimmicks with the caution. Marcus Smith and I aren't seeing eye to eye right now."

Logano, Ross Chastain, Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five, with William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe and Chris Buescher completing the top 10.

Other notable finishers include Denny Hamlin in 12th, Ryan Blaney in 16th, Austin Cindric in 18th, Kyle Larson in 21st and Brad Keselowski in 22nd.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

More must-reads: