Christopher Bell’s outing at the Mexico City Xfinity Series race—The Chilango 150—ended in disappointment for both the driver and his Sam Hunt Racing team. Bell had launched from third place and initially suffered a setback in Stage 1 when he lost control of the car exiting the stadium section, colliding with the wall. Despite this early incident, he rallied impressively, recovering positions and even overtaking his teammate Ty Gibbs to settle into second place—firmly in contention .
Bell expressed great confidence heading into Stage 3, but his No. 24 Toyota suddenly started billowing smoke shortly after the restart. With engine issues rapidly worsening, he was forced to limp down pit road and retire from the race, ending what many believed could have been a strong performance for the team. On the radio, crew chief Brian Gainey expressed remorse for the unfortunate turn of events .
Speaking afterward, Bell emphasized that nothing in his driving led to the mechanical failure. He stated, “No, and let it be known, that I didn’t miss a shift with the h‑pattern… I don’t know—it just let go getting into the stadium section, so it is a bummer.” He praised his team’s car as “the best of the rest” while acknowledging that Ty Gibbs and Connor Zilisch were outperforming the field .
Bell also commented on the challenges posed by Mexico City’s track altitude of about 7,500 feet. He noted that while the thinner air presents cooling and performance variables, veteran racers like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin are better equipped to assess those conditions. As Bell put it, “The answer is nobody knows… except for the veterans,” since they’ve raced at the circuit before .
In sum, Bell’s race in Mexico held promise—recovering from early contact and running near the front—but was ultimately cut short by unforeseen engine problems. Though the circumstances were unfairly out of his control, Bell remains pragmatic: mechanical issues are part of racing, and sometimes, even a strong car can be sidelined by bad luck.
