Christopher Bell Says He Was 'Cheated' By NASCAR Fiasco That Helped Sink Title Bid

In an alternate universe, NASCAR driver Christopher Bell is preparing to race for the Cup Series title Sunday in Avondale, Ariz.

In this universe, however, Bell is on the outside looking in. That's due to a bizarre sequence of events during the Xfinity 500 in Martinsville, Va. Sunday that rocked the NASCAR world, and led to a spate of fines and suspensions for illegal race manipulation.

On Saturday, Bell laid into NASCAR for its handling of the entire episode.

"My intentions were never to ride the wall. I didn’t gain an advantage riding the wall,” Bell said via David Brandt and Jenna Fryer of the AP. “I don’t believe I broke a rule. I feel cheated. I feel cheated out of the chance to compete for a championship and it all started whenever the race got fixed and manipulated by Chevrolet."

Bell was dropped to 22nd in Martinsville for illegally riding the wall—a move he only undertook to avoid Bubba Wallace, who intimated he had a flat tire. Wallace, Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon—all Chevrolet drivers—were fined and penalized Tuesday for "race manipulation and actions detrimental to stock car racing."

The drop cost Bell a spot in the Championship 4, which will be contested Sunday between Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick.