AVONDALE, Ariz. — Upset that he is not racing for a championship, a candid Christopher Bell said Saturday that he was “cheated” by Chevrolet teams that “fixed and manipulated” the finish of last weekend’s playoff race at Martinsville Speedway.

This has been one of the hardest things I have had to go through as a race car driver,” Bell said. “I believe cheated is the right word."

Bell was penalized after the race on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway when NASCAR deemed he committed a safety violation, effectively replicating the now banned Hail Melon made famous by Ross Chastain in 2022, and it resulted in his elimination from the final transfer spot into the Championship Race.

Instead, the Chevys of Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain put themselves in a double-file formation behind Byron, effectively serving as a blockade to prevent any cars from passing the No. 24 car. NASCAR reviewed the radio communications and ruled that their actions were worthy a penalty that was handed out by NASCAR on Tuesday (Nov. 5).

Christopher Bell isn't racing for a Cup championship this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. He feels he should, and he feels NASCAR could have made decisions to make him one of the four finalists.

The events of NASCAR’s Cup Series Championship 4 decider at Martinsville are still raw for Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, on the outside looking in as four other drivers prepare to