Christopher Bell Goes Flag-To-Flag

His Fourth O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions Victory

 

Grabbing his fourth career win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions, Oklahoma’s Christopher Bell led start to finish during Monday’s special feature event.

 

The win nabbed Bell an extra $3,224, with the extra $224 for leading the “Race For Chase White Flag” presented by the Ultimate Sprint Car Series in California.

 

His first time winning the 25-lap affair as an owner-driver, the PristineAuction.com No. 21cb used his quick time effort and launched to the lead from the pole position. Putting distance on the field in no time at all, a Lap 7 caution for Corey Day presented a chance, but no one to take it as Shane Golobic chased with Spencer Bayston in tow.

 

Into traffic rolling two-by-two in the late stages, a nearly two-and-a-half-second lead quickly evaporated for Bell with Golobic able to take a look at the lead, but never able to overtake as Bell won by 0.419-seconds. Shane Golobic held on for second, with Logan Seavey slipping by for third with Ryan Timms in tow. Spencer Bayston ended up fifth.

 

This year’s field was set for 24 drivers, with 23 making the call.

 

RACE RESULTS:

• 40th annual Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS
• Tulsa Expo Raceway (Tulsa, Okla.)
• O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions
• Monday, January 12, 2026

 

O'Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions Qualifying:

O'Reilly Auto Parts RoC Qualifying (2 Laps): 

• 1. 21CB-Christopher Bell, 11.638 [15]
• 2. 1S-Spencer Bayston, 11.644 [20]
• 3. 39-Logan Seavey, 11.649 [4]
• 4. 17W-Shane Golobic, 11.682 [8]
• 5. 54NZ-Michael Pickens, 11.696 [13]
• 6. 88T-Tanner Thorson, 11.713 [23]
• 7. 71-Ryan Timms, 11.734 [2]
• 8. 39A-Emerson Axsom, 11.746 [17]
• 9. 86-Daison Pursley, 11.760 [3]
• 10. 1K-Kyle Larson, 11.764 [1]
• 11. 87-Justin Grant, 11.765 [9]
• 12. 27X-Kalib Henry, 11.792 [16]
• 13. 41-Corey Day, 11.796 [22]
• 14. 57W-Landon Brooks, 11.801 [18]
• 15. 67-Jacob Denney, 11.844 [19]
• 16. 71K-Cannon McIntosh, 11.889 [14]
• 17. 2-Jesse Love, 11.916 [12]
• 18. 11F-Kaylee Bryson, 11.946 [6]
• 19. 39G-Kyle Cummins, 12.006 [11]
• 20. 21AU-Kaidon Brown, 12.028 [10]
• 21. 12H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 12.062 [21]
• 22. 1-Sammy Swindell, 12.128 [5]
• 23. 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr, 12.273 [7]

O'Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions:

O'Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions (25 Laps): 

• 1. 21CB-Christopher Bell [1]
• 2. 17W-Shane Golobic [4]
• 3. 39-Logan Seavey [3]
• 4. 71-Ryan Timms [7]
• 5. 1S-Spencer Bayston [2]
• 6. 88T-Tanner Thorson [6]
• 7. 1K-Kyle Larson [10]
• 8. 39A-Emerson Axsom [8]
• 9. 86-Daison Pursley [9]
• 10. 54NZ-Michael Pickens [5]
• 11. 71K-Cannon McIntosh [16]
• 12. 57W-Landon Brooks [14]
• 13. 87-Justin Grant [11]
• 14. 67-Jacob Denney [15]
• 15. 39G-Kyle Cummins [19]
• 16. 2-Jesse Love [17]
• 17. 27X-Kalib Henry [12]
• 18. 21AU-Kaidon Brown [20]
• 19. 1-Sammy Swindell [22]
• 20. 11F-Kaylee Bryson [18]
• 21. (DNF) 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr [23]
• 22. (DNF) 12H-Sam Hafertepe Jr [21]
• 23. (DNF) 41-Corey Day [13]

O’Reilly Auto Parts Race of Champions:

• Christopher Bell (2026, 2025, 2021, 2020)
• Logan Seavey (2024)
• Spencer Bayston (2023)
• Justin Grant (2022)
• Tanner Thorson (2019 and 2016)
• Chad Boat (2018)
• Kyle Larson (2017 and 2014)
• Sammy Swindell (2015, 2012, 2011, 2009)
• Kevin Swindell (2013), Brad Loyet (2010)

Hear from Christopher Bell after winning the O'reilly Race of Champions Monday Night at Race of Champions. pic.twitter.com/WYym4QmkDe

— Shauninthedirt.com (@shauninthedirt) January 13, 2026

 

source: Chili Bowl Media