Christopher Bell was able to escape his savagely destroyed No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota after one of the hardest crashes anyone has likely ever seen in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, in the hours after the massive impact on Lap 148, which necessitated a 20-minute red flag for NASCAR to repair the SAFER barrier in Turn 4 at Michigan International Speedway, there was concern about Bell’s status for next week’s race at Pocono Raceway.
After Denny Hamlin’s win in the FireKeepers Casino 400, Coach Joe Gibbs was asked about Bell’s health following the horrific crash during his post-race press conference. Gibbs explained that there is concern about Bell’s wrist and ankle following the crash, and that the team will remain in a wait-and-see mode this week.
“We’re going to continue tonight when he gets home. We’re going to make sure he gets everything he needs to get there, whatever it might be. And then, we’ll just have to kind of wait. I think it was his wrist and his ankle. So, we’re going to just have to wait,” Gibbs said.
I don’t think anyone will fault Bell if he has to spend some time away from the track following the massive impact in Sunday’s race. Everyone was just thankful to see the driver walk away from the crash under his own power.
Bell was battling Chase Elliott on Lap 148 for the runner-up position behind race leader Daniel Suarez in Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway, when Elliott lost control of his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the low line.
As Elliott attempted to catch his car, the car snapped hard right and slammed into Bell’s No. 20 Toyota. That impact sent Bell dead-right into the outside wall, where he suffered an incredible impact into the outside wall.
Such an insane crash. Incredible impacts. Amazing that both were able to climb from their cars under their own power. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/yUm4RXMSA8
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) June 7, 2026
After the crash, Elliott consoled Bell as the two awaited an ambulance ride to the infield care center.
Chase Elliott checks in on Christopher Bell after a hard wreck at Michigan. #NASCARonPrime pic.twitter.com/kOF0G3GPJ1
— Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) June 7, 2026
Elliott, who says he apologized to Bell for the incident, took blame for the crash in his post-care center interview as well.
“It was totally my fault. I feel really bad for Bell, just taking him out,” Elliott said. “I was trying to run the bottom, make use of our fresh tires, and at least get to second, I was hoping, and stay side-by-side with him. I just got in there and got free. I thought I was going to spin and was kind of committing to spinning out.”
Elliott continued, “As soon as I was committed to spinning, it just hooked up and, unfortunately, sent Christopher into the wall really hard, and me shortly thereafter. We were just racing really hard. I thought it was a turning point in the race to make something happen, but just stepped over the line and paid for it.”
On his way out of Michigan International Speedway on Sunday afternoon, Bell was spotted with a wrapped left wrist and arm as he attempted to board an airplane back to North Carolina.
Christopher Bell’s arm in a wrap after his wreck with Chase Elliot in the #FireKeepersCasino400 at @MISpeedway #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/XY4X9cQr4X
— Alex (@alexfrompa_) June 8, 2026
