BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 15, 2008) – Clint Bowyer led three times for 122 laps, including the final 66, in Saturday's rain-shortened Sharpie Mini 300, but it was pit strategy that unlocked the door to Bristol Motor Speedway's victory lane for the Kansas native.
Bowyer and the eight cars behind him in the final rundown remained on the track instead of pitting for fresh tires when NASCAR ordered the race's seventh and final caution flag on lap 164 when a sprinkle turned to heavy rain. The field ran eight laps under caution before NASCAR stopped the race. Officials waited approximately 47 minutes before calling the race and declaring Bowyer the winner. It was Bowyer's fifth Nationwide Series victory, but his first at the 0.533-mile Bristol track.
Kasey Kahne finished second in the 171-lap race that ended 129 laps shy of the scheduled distance. Rounding out the top five, respectively, were David Reutimann in a Toyota, Brad Keselowski in a Chevrolet, and Mike Bliss driving a Dodge.
“It’s awesome. I'll take it any way I can get it,” Bowyer said. “Kasey raced me clean. He had the best car, but it’s not always the best car that wins. It’s just special. This is a race track that’s always been special to me ever since I’ve come here. It’s hard to race on, and you’ve earned it every time you roll into victory lane.”
Kahne stalked Bowyer for more than 40 laps, as the top two cars worked lapped traffic until NASCAR ordered the seventh caution flag.
“I should have pressed the issue a little more,” Kahne said dejectedly, as he sat in his Dodge during the rain delay. “I had the best car. I should be leading right now. I let him have it.
“I was just trying to do everything I could to get by him without running through him. Then the rain came.”
Bowyer was the top lap leader in the race that saw Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch eliminated in the early going.
In what may be his only ride of the year in the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet co-owned by friend Dale Earnhardt Jr., Truex checked up behind Carl Edwards and spun on lap 13. Truex’s momentum carried him back up the track and into the path of Busch’s Toyota.
Busch tried to avoid the spinning Chevy, but clipped Truex’s car and slammed the third turn's outside wall.
“I feel bad for those guys,” Truex said of the JR Motorsports team. “I wanted to do a good job for them. I feel pretty stupid running 10 laps and wrecking.”
The Nationwide Series now travels to Nashville, Tenn., for a March 22 event.
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03-16-2008, 11:29 PM
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