Christopher Bell’s Darlington run didn’t fall apart because of a blown engine or a late-race wreck on the track. Instead, it came unraveled on pit road. The Joe Gibbs Racing star had been steady inside the top 10, grabbing stage points and looking like a threat to close strong. But when Carson Hocevar spun on Lap 152 and brought out a caution, everything changed. Bell’s No. 20 cycled onto the pit lane with the leaders, only for chaos to strike during the stop.

As Bell pulled out of his stall, Hocevar slid back into the lane, and contact between the two left Bell with front-end damage that demanded another stop. By the time repairs were made, his night was toast, and he limped home in 29th. What followed, though, sparked a debate that had insiders pointing fingers, and not necessarily in t

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