2016 PCC Cup Series: Race 25: Cleveland Grand Prix

F S # DRIVER INTERVAL LAPS LED POINTS STATUS
1 6 303 M Mark 108.517 125 11 180 Running
2 11 230 R Burton -1.38 125 80* 180 Running
3 10 03 T Ellison -14.55 125 2 170 Running
4 22 21 D Chaiter -52.04 125 0 160 Running
5 9 9 C Auxier -1:07.23 125 0 155 Running
6 5 83 N Hart -1L 124 0 150 Running
7 18 20 I Haddeland -1L 124 0 146 Running
8 7 376 M Yokoyama -1L 124 0 142 Running
9 29 62 J King -1L 124 0 138 Running
10 12 0 J Torgeson -1L 124 1 139 Running
11 34 04 V Fochesato -2L 123 0 130 Running
12 8 411 T Sharaf -2L 123 0 127 Running
13 35 06 R Jefferies -2L 123 0 124 Running
14 2 93 Prince Tlas -2L 123 0 121 Running
15 13 5 B Atkins -3L 122 0 118 Running
16 26 81 S Anderson -3L 122 0 115 Running
17 33 87 M Beck -3L 122 0 112 Running
18 37 248 G Treadway -3L 122 0 109 Running
19 36 1 J Russell -5L 120 0 106 Running
20 31 52 L Jacobs -5L 120 0 103 Running
21 25 74 C Williams -6L 119 0 100 Running
22 20 76 K Mallory -6L 119 0 97 Running
23 38 75 P Bell -6L 119 0 94 Running
24 43 38 B Thompson -10L 115 0 91 Running
25 45 099 N Prince -11L 114 0 88 Running
26 4 055 J Hewitt -23L 102 0 85 Valve
27 16 99 S Hamilton -29L 96 0 82 Gearbox
28 44 88 A Barrett -47L 78 0 79 Retired
29 23 2 I Durbin -52L 73 0 76 Tire
30 42 808 J Ward -59L 66 0 73 Valve
31 30 79 D Cobb -66L 59 0 70 Tire
32 32 14 D Kensington Jr. -67L 58 0 67 Accident
33 24 015 C Lucis -73L 52 0 64 Retired
34 14 09 S Thomas -77L 48 0 61 Fuel Ln
35 17 8 L Bellard -79L 46 4 63 Clutch
36 40 23 M Brinson -89L 36 0 55 Camshaft
37 3 61 I Kowalczyk -97L 28 13 57 Clutch
38 27 32 I Elias -97L 28 0 49 Accident
39 41 43 D Oliver -102L 23 0 46 Retired
40 15 030 L L. -109L 16 0 43 Retired
41 1 27 K Laaksonen -110L 15 14 45 Camshaft
42 39 44 B Tanner -110L 15 0 37 Valve
43 21 002 P Asbury -110L 15 0 34 Ignition
44 19 57 J Fisher -112L 13 0 31 Susp
45 28 466 A Gifu -R- -117L 8 0 28 Susp

1. Manticore Engineering - 1935
2. Paloma Autosport - 1843
3. Griffith Motorsports - 1769
4. Team Ben Atkins - 1754
5. Australian Motorsports - 1519 +1
6. Double B Motorsports - 1500 -1
7. Johnson Racing - 1440
8. ROG Motorsports - 1421
9. Matthews Motorsports Team - 1413
10. Clason Enterprises - 1336 +1
11. Nice Coq Racing - 1327 -1
12. Stephans Racing - 1297 +1
13. Lucas Motorsports - 1295 -1
14. Accelerator Motorsports - 1177

1. Mark Burt - 234
2. Sapphire Anderson - 233
3. Hank Wheatfarmer Jr. - 225
4. Akio Gifu - 223
5. Jerry Myatt - 196
6. Barney Ward - 128
7. Kiuga Hakai - 119

*Lucas Motorsports
*Accelerator Motorsports

Bell hangs on for dear life, saves Stephans Racing from demotion

Preston Bell had the task of carrying an entire team's Cup series ambitions on his shoulders as Stephans Racing's lone representative in the Cleveland Grand Prix to close out the 2016 season. As has often been the case during his six-year tenure with the team, he took aim to do what was asked of him on track.

Attrition help or not, he did not disappoint.

Despite an early collision hampering performance, Bell continued on through the 125-lap affair and passed several cars who had crashed or retired to secure 23rd place by the checkered flag, just pushing Stephans Racing above relegation by a mere two points over Lucas Motorsports. Upon climbing from his vehicle, Bell was seen fist-pumping and celebrating with his crew.

"Man, that was real close, but we got it", the Texan said jubilantly after taking his helmet off to do an interview with local media. "These guys have worked their tails off all year and things just ain't broken our way. They don't deserve to lose their place and I wanted to get in and win this thing for 'em - at least a Top 10. The guys work too hard to have to cut back their program and boy, I'm glad I got it done and kept 'em in the fight. Now we can work on startin' fresh in the spring and gettin' ourselves ready to do it all again."

Bell finishes out the season 19th in the driver's standings, helped out quite a bit by several of the drivers ahead of him failing to qualify for the main event. Despite a mostly luckless season overall for Stephans, his unwavering loyalty to the team may have kept them fighting for another year.