The victory locked Bell into the Championship 4 for the second consecutive year, joining Las Vegas winner Kyle Larson.
The good news for Joe Gibbs Racing ends with Bell though, as both Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin failed to finish the race. They will enter the Martinsville elimination race below the cut-line (-17pts), as will Reddick (-10pts) and Chris Buescher (-43pts).
Ryan Blaney’s efforts give him a ten-point buffer in the playoff fight, winning Stage 2 and ending the day at Homestead with a runner-up finish.
“I’ve got the best team behind me. That race was a whirlwind,” Bell said of the win. “I was ready to throw the towel in there in the second stage. I got frustrated on the radio.
“Adam (Stevens, crew chief) kept after it. The guys back at the shop were working over the adjustments and gave me what I needed. Whenever we got some clean air, this thing was really good.
“Thank you, everyone, that’s supported me. This is better than a dream come true.”
The race saw 25 lead changes between nine drivers, and was slowed by five cautions including stage breaks.