DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Sean Gardner/Getty Images for NASCAR photo —

Following a violent crash that saw his No. 4 JBL Audio Toyota Tundra flip as many as 10 times in turn one, Christopher Bell was transported from Daytona International Speedway to a local hospital for further observation on Friday night.

Bell went around, with fellow rookie William Byron behind him, on the last lap of Friday night’s season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series — making nose-first contact with the outside wall before the rear decklid of his race truck flew up into the air. The disturbance in the airflow helped to send Bell’s already-sideways truck upside down on the 31 degree high banks, where it flipped down the track before finally coming to rest on all four wheels.

The former dirt track standout immediately dropped the window net to let NASCAR officials and safety workers know he was okay, radioed the same to his Kyle Busch Motorsports crew, and he climbed out of the truck soon after. After Bell walked unassisted to a nearby ambulance, a NASCAR spokesman conveyed the news that the 21-year-old had been moved off-site following the conclusion of the race.

Kyle Busch Motorsports later confirmed just after 1:30 a.m. ET on Saturday morning that the measures taken were “as a precaution”, and that Bell has been “evaluated and released” from hospital care.

During the post-race press conferences, third-finishing Parker Kligerman noted that Bell’s truck had been all over the place in the closing stages.

“He was really loose even 20 laps before (the last lap incident),” Kligerman said. “He was just constantly sideways. Kudos to Chris for holding onto it for as long as he did, but then eventually he just lost it.”

“I saw him turning the 17, and all I saw was the under side of his truck,” Kligerman added. “It was really reminiscent of … I think it was 2012 where Joey Coulter did a similar thing on the 22 truck. You just kind of see the under side, and at that point you know something’s happened.”

Bell was running in the top four at the time the last-lap crash occurred, having given the No. 21 Chevrolet of Johnny Sauter a push that ultimately propelled him to the win over Ryan Truex. The caution flag flew as Bell’s truck was coming to a stop, freezing the field since the white flag had already been thrown.

John Hunter Nemechek was also involved in the incident and offered his view on what happened after climbing from his race truck.

“I don’t know how close [I] actually was (to hitting Bell’s truck),” Nemechek admitted. “I know he was pretty high up in the air. It felt like I drove underneath of him, but I couldn’t tell you for sure.”

“I wouldn’t say it was scary. You’re just trying to make it through, hope for the best and trying to make it through. We got clipped and it ended our day.”

After the race, Byron

The incident was the second Daytona ‘Big One’ to take place in the final 10 laps, following an 18-truck melee on lap 92 that took out Bell’s midget teammate Rico Abreu among many others in the carnage.

Bell had actually survived being involved in a lap 42 accident entering pit road to come back and challenge for the win. The rookie was entering pit road in a pack of cars, just prior to the expiration of the 20-minute ‘caution clock’, when a stack-up ahead of him caused by contact between Ben Rhodes, Cody Coughlin and Spencer Gallagher, sent Gallagher spinning right into his path. The Oklahoma native was clipped by the GMS Racing entry and spun backwards into the inside pit wall, sustaining minor damage to the rear quarter panel of his machine.

His crew made quick repairs and Bell charged back into the top 10 prior to the first ‘Big One’ to put himself in his late-race position to challenge for the victory.

After the race, Byron — Bell’s teammate and last lap pusher — offered comments on what he saw before being collected in the aftermath as well.

“Christopher and I were bumping each other (coming through the tri-oval), and we just had to pick where we were going to go. I saw him spinning, so I just tried to stay to the inside … but by that point I was hit from behind and there was nothing I could do.”

The truck is anticipated to head to the NASCAR R&D Center, where series officials and technical experts will conduct a post-crash investigation to determine more specifics on what happened to cause the accident.

About the Writer

Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.

The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.

Email Jacob at: [email protected]

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