NASCAR Bass Pro Shops Night Race takeaways: Christopher Bell takes chaotic elimination race at Bristol

On a night filled with attrition and tire management, Christopher Bell took the lead on a restart with four laps to go and held off a surge from Brad Keselowski on the final lap to win the Bass Pro Shops Night Race and punch his ticket to the Round of 12.

Here are three takeaways from the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 16 elimination race at Bristol:

Christopher Bell claims first Bristol Night Race in dramatic fashion 

He only led 12 laps, but got to the front when it mattered most to score his fourth win of the season, his first points-paying victory since Phoenix in March. Bell's win not only advances him to the Round of 12 of the playoffs, but it also gives Joe Gibbs Racing a sweep of the opening playoff round.

The win comes one week after Bell went off on his radio following a seventh-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway, frustrated by the No. 20 team's inability to take advantage of the speed while his teammates Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin won the first two playoff races at Darlington and WWTR, respectively.

With three finishes outside the top 10 in his last four races coming into Bristol, Bell was in search of some momentum. Despite aggressive tire management, a season-high 14 cautions and 36 lead changes, Bell stood tall to cap off a wild night in "Thunder Valley."

Austin Cindric claims final transfer spot over Alex Bowman

After a chaotic 500 laps at "The Last Great Colosseum," Team Penske's Austin Cindric took the final transfer spot over Bowman after having to pit with a fire inside his right front tire with 47 laps remaining, costing him multiple laps.

Bowman ultimately came up short in eighth while Cindric came away in 30th to sneak into the Round of 12. It was a story of what could have been for Bowman, who dealt with multiple pit road issues in the first two playoff races, forcing him into a must-win situation on Saturday night.

Bowman joins Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen and Josh Berry, who once again had Stage 1 problems when his car caught on fire, as the four drivers who were eliminated from playoff contention, leaving only 12 drivers to fight for the title beginning next week at New Hampshire.

Excessive tire wear throws drivers for a loop again at Bristol

Following the spring race at Bristol earlier this season that saw Kyle Larson lead 411 of the 500 laps and passing prove to be extremely difficult, Goodyear brought a new right-side tire this time around with the intention of creating more tire fall off.

Despite no tire concerns in Friday's practice, it was apparent from the beginning of Saturday night's race that it was going to resemble the 2024 spring race when drivers were forced to manage their tires.

Pole sitter AJ Allmendinger was the first to experience issues on Lap 25 before other drivers began hitting pit road just minutes after the race started, leading to only 13 drivers staying on the lead lap by the end of Stage 1. While drivers were able to drive at a reasonable pace the rest of the way, it was a chaotic night of tire management at Bristol.