It was a thrilling 250-lapper at the historic speedway, which was controlled early on by RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski.

The last caution and subsequent pit stops proved decisive as Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney elected not to pit for new tyres while most of the top 10 runners head for the lane.

That set up a 28-lap dash to the chequered flag. Bell battled Logano for the lead with Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain in tow.

Ultimately, Bell got the move done with 10 to go with a forceful move. Logano couldn’t respond and the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota took victory.

Bell hailed his pit crew for a fast final two-tyre pit stop.

“Man, they’re the best. There’s nothing else to say,” said Bell.

“This sport can be so humbling because behind the car, behind the wheel, you’re just a small part of success.

“These boys right here, Adam Stevens on the pit box, all the mechanics, all the engineers that put this thing together, they’re the big picture.

“I’m the guy that gets to sit up here and talk to you and take pictures, but without them, I’m nobody. I owe it all to these guys.”

Logano wasn’t super stoked with how the final stanza played out.

“I’m glad you had a blast,” said Logano, addressing the crowd.

“I’m pissed off right now. Just dang it, we had the fastest car. The Shell-Pennzoil Mustang was so fast.

“I’m trying to choose my words correctly on the caution situation. Obviously I got bit by it, so I am the one frustrated obviously.

“Gosh, I don’t know. I felt like the [tyre] falloff wasn’t too bad as the sun went down, and yeah, six cars or so stayed out with us.

“Thought maybe we could hold him off but the #20 had a good enough restart, cleared too many of them too fast. I couldn’t get away in time. It took me six, seven laps to get my car up and rolling again.

“I did all I could do to hold him off and he got under me and released the brake and gave me no option.

“Kind of just ran me up into the wall, and if I could’ve got to him, he was going around after a move like that, I just couldn’t get back to him. Just too much to try to make up with the tire deficit.

“Just frustrated after you lead so many laps and the car is so fast and you don’t win, it hurts quite a bit.”

NASCAR continues its Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26 (AEST) for the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on its calendar.

Results: NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Racing, North Wilkesboro Speedway