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Christopher Bell wins Chili Bowl preliminary race

NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Media Day

CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 18: Christopher Bell watches on during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Media Day at Charlotte Motor Speedway on September 18, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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Two-time defending Chili Bowl Nationals winner Christopher Bell won the A feature Thursday night to advance to Saturday night’s A main. Shane Golobic placed second. C.J. Leary, driving a car owned by Alex Bowman, placed third.

Justin Allgaier placed 13th in the 24-car field.

Even though he is in position to win a third consecutive Chili Bowl title, Bell says he has work to do.

“I kind of felt rusty tonight,” Bell said in the press conference afterward. “I don’t know why that was. ... The longer you’re on top, the harder it is to stay there and the easier it is to lose. I’m going to do my best to try to figure out why I didn’t feel as good as I normally do and why I didn’t run as good of a race as I normally do.”

Golobic noted the challenges of racing against Bell.

“It’s kind of frustrating to race with Christopher sometimes, he’s just so darn good,” Golobic said in the press conference. “I think he’s the best there is hands down right now in a midget.”

Karsyn Elledge, daughter of JR Motorsports co-owner Kelley Earnhardt Miller, was collected in an incident in her B main and finished 11th. She won her heat earlier in the evening, finishing ahead of Golobic.

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