Chase Briscoe Edges Christopher Bell in 0.029-Second Photo Finish to Win at Charlotte
Chase Briscoe held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell by just 0.029 seconds in a thrilling photo finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, scoring his second consecutive Cup Series victory in the Bank of America 400.
CONCORD, N.C. — In one of the most breathtaking finishes of the modern NASCAR era, Chase Briscoe outdueled Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell in a side-by-side drag race to the checkered flag, winning Sunday’s Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway by a margin of just 0.029 seconds.
The nail-biting victory marks Briscoe’s second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win and stands as the closest finish of the 2026 season, as well as the second-closest finish in Cup Series history at Charlotte’s iconic 1.5-mile oval.
Starting from second on the grid after Saturday's rain-canceled qualifying session, Briscoe spent much of the 267-lap contest battling intermediate powerhouses in a high-speed aerodynamic chess match. As the final restart unfolded, Briscoe surged into the lead, but a desperate late-lap charge from Bell on the low line brought both JGR Toyotas side-by-side coming out of Turn 4.
With the crowd on its feet, both machines crossed the finish line almost simultaneously, requiring electronic timing and video verification to declare Briscoe the official winner.
"I saw Christopher diving under me into Turn 3 and I just held my breath, pinned the throttle, and hoped the air would hold us," Briscoe said in Victory Lane. "To win back-to-back races like this with a 0.029-second gap against your teammate is absolute madness. Our team has hit another gear at the perfect time in the playoffs."
Ryan Blaney claimed third place, with Josh Berry and Denny Hamlin rounding out the top five. Pole-sitter Kyle Larson crossed the line in sixth after leading early laps.
The victory locks Briscoe firmly into the upper echelon of the postseason standings as the Cup Series prepares to head west for the upcoming playoff swing.