Under the Tennessee lights at Nashville Superspeedway, tensions flared and stories unfolded long after the checkered flag dropped. One of the weekend’s lingering questions revolved around the incident involving two Toyota teammates, Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Petty’s trusted wheelman, Erik Jones of Legacy Motor Club. While not the most dramatic wreck of the race, their late-race tangle stirred conversation due to their shared manufacturer and past team ties. Jones, who once drove for JGR before moving to Petty and now LMC, found himself amid speculation, especially after Bell’s race ended with disappointment. So what exactly happened?
With under 100 laps to go, Bell was battling through the field when contact from Jones made contact with the #20 Toyota while battling for 5th place off the Lap 119 restart. Jones defended the bottom line in Turn 1, and the contact resulted in Bell spinning into the wall, costing the latter valuable track position and setting back any hopes of a Top-5 finish. While it didn’t appear to be intentional, NASCAR fans and analysts alike took notice. In post-race interviews, Bell didn’t point fingers directly, it was clear that he blamed Joey Logano for the crash. “I felt like I kind of got boxed out by the 22, which the 43 didn’t do anything wrong. He was inside of me, but, ultimately, there wasn’t enough room, and I spun across his nose. So he had the position, and I should have done better,” said Bell.
Now, days after the dust settled, Erik Jones has broken his silence on the incident. Speaking candidly, he spoke with sincerity, making a 6-word confession saying that he “didn’t really want to wreck him.” But was that enough to put the matter to rest, or will the moment flare up into another rivalry shortly after the heated one between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar?
The wreck that changed Christopher Bell’s game plan
Jeff Gluck, a reporter from The Athletic, noted that Erik Jones made a public confession of the crash, writing on X, “I haven’t talked to Bell. He’s made it known through the grapevine he felt it wasn’t my fault. So I didn’t really want to bring it back up again with him, because I didn’t really want to wreck him, and I don’t think he wanted to be wrecked either. … Obviously, he’s a Toyota car. I don’t really want to wreck anybody, but especially another Toyota.”
What made this particular moment notable wasn’t just the contact, but the shared Toyota alliance between LMC and JGR, making the incident feel personal. But on the racetrack, this alliance sometimes gets thrown out the window, Jones knew that allowing Bell the room would cost him track position and a strong finish. On a track like Nashville, passing isn’t an option, making restarts crucial for the drivers to establish their presence. Bell decided to be the aggressor, whereas Jones played defence in the inside lane. Had this been a superspeedway race, the conversation would have been different.
.@Erik_Jones on the @CBellRacing crash at Nashville:
“I haven’t talked to Bell. He’s made it known through the grapevine he felt it wasn’t my fault. So I didn’t really want to bring it back up again with him, because I didn’t really want to wreck him and I don’t think he wanted…
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) June 7, 2025
But this wasn’t the first time Jones found himself navigating the fine line between competitive aggression and manufacturer loyalty. In 2020 at Darlington, while still with Joe Gibbs Racing, he famously refused to move over for teammate Denny Hamlin, prompting internal tension but earning respect from fans for racing hard. Manufacturer alliance and teammates come second, especially if you are fighting hard for points to reach the playoffs.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. also defended Jones after the incident at Nashville Superspeedway. “Erik Jones has not been able to run in the top five all that often this year. He gets a run off of Turn 4, goes to the inside of the 20 [Bell]. … C Bell blocks him all the way to the apron and what kind of car is C Bell driving in this scenario? That’s Erik’s old car. You don’t think that still stings a little bit? Erik Jones was probably thinking, ‘Hey, man. You’re driving my old car. I don’t get to run up here that often. You ain’t f—— blocking me into this corner.”
While tensions might have briefly simmered, not necessarily between the drivers, but certainly within the NASCAR community eager to take sides, a heated showdown never materialized. Instead, both Erik Jones and Christopher Bell took accountability in their own way, defusing the situation before moving ahead for another important race at Michigan.
Christopher Bell’s rise to stardom gets sponsorship boost
In NASCAR, sponsorship is everything. That’s why slogans like Wrangler’s iconic “One Tough Customer” were most catchy, they became cultural symbols tied to legends like Dale Earnhardt. Fast forward to 2025, and a similar transformation may be brewing for Christopher Bell. As Denny Hamlin parts ways with FedEx after 2 decades and questions swirl around JGR’s ability to keep pace in a tight sponsorship market, Bell is stepping into the spotlight with a fresh new partner.
The 29-year-old star is now the face of Coofandys’ 10th anniversary celebration, a menswear brand that grew from a 2015 startup to a global name in over 100 countries. At Martinsville, their bold “Dress the Win” campaign debuted in full force, with Coofandy’s branding wrapped around Bell’s car and a limited-edition fashion line launching soon after. “I’m excited for our partnership with the COOFANDY brand,” said Bell. “Being confident is definitely an important part of being successful on the racetrack, and COOFANDY’s Dress The Win campaign encourages confidence in men for every one of life’s important moments.”
Team owner Joe Gibbs echoed the enthusiasm. “We look forward to helping COOFANDY celebrate their 10-year anniversary and introducing their brand of clothing to our fans,” said Gibbs. “They have an outfit to help inspire confidence for any occasion, and our race team shares a lot in common with COOFANDY, as we both pursue excellence and have a passion for winning.” In a time where sponsorship dollars are thinning, this bold move with Bell may be JGR’s answer to evolving demands. This could be the beginning of something much bigger than race-day branding.
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