Christopher Bell penalized after Hail Melon move, William Byron moves on in NASCAR playoffs

Hail Melon, part deux? NASCAR says no.

Christopher Bell appeared to get a final spot needed to pass William Byron in the playoff points standings in the final turn on the final turn of Sunday’s Xfinity 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville by sliding past a slow Bubba Wallace, then riding the wall to stay ahead of Wallace as he slid through Turn 3 to the frontstretch.

But NASCAR ruled, after a lengthy deliberation, that Bell’s move was an illegal wall ride safety violation, giving Byron the points edge and the final Championship 4 spot.

Bell had unofficially finished in 18th but will be slotted in 22nd as the final car one lap down, while Byron finished 6th. Byron finished four points ahead of Bell in the playoff points standings post-Martinsville; Bell would have had the tiebreaker had the two drivers remained tied.

The move harkens back to Ross Chastain’s wall-ride in the final two turns of the Martinsville fall race in 2022, gaining enough spots and points to advance to the Championship 4.

NASCAR instituted a rule after Chastain’s spectacular move outlawing wall rides as a legal racing move.

“The front tires were off the ground there coming off of (Turn) 4.” Byron said to NBC about Bell’s move on the final lap, calling it an illegal wall ride.

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Christopher Bell penalized for wall ride, William Byron advances in NASCAR playoffs