Bowyer wins race off pit row, pulls away for 5th Busch victory
The Associated Press
Saturday, May 5, 2007
RICHMOND, VA. — Emporian Clint Bowyer won the race off pit road with about 28 laps to go of the Circuit City 200 Friday night and easily went on to his fifth career NASCAR Busch Series victory.
Matt Kenseth dominated much of the latter part of the race, but he pitted along with the other leaders after the final caution flew on Lap 223. Carl Edwards and David Ragan assumed the top two spots by staying out, but their stay in front didn’t last long.
Kenseth came out fifth, behind Bowyer and Jeff Burton, after a mishap with the jack on Kenseth’s right front tire. Edwards and Ragan faded, but Bowyer remained strong, taking the lead with 19 laps to go and winning by 1.483 seconds.
It was his second win this season, and also was the fourth Busch Series victory in a row at Richmond for Richard Childress Racing. Kevin Harvick, who finished fourth, won the last three in a row.
“I wouldn’t have dreamed I would have won until that last pit stop,” Bowyer said. After he took the lead, “I was thinking, ‘It’s mine to screw up this time.’”
Burton was third, followed by Harvick and Kyle Busch.
Kenseth appeared to have the race in hand until J.J. Yeley spun on Lap 222, bringing out the seventh and final caution and erasing a lead of more than 2 seconds.
It also sent the leaders to the pits, where Bowyer’s crew made a tire pressure adjustment that made him stronger at the finish — too strong for Kenseth.
“That last long run we got a little better and they got a little bit worse and we were able to make some hay,” Kenseth said.
Then came the mistake that cost him.
Burton, who relinquished the lead to Kenseth on the 167th lap, also would have liked to have had a car as strong at the end as he had earlier in the race.
“We just got dialed out there at the end,” he said.
The race at Richmond International Raceway was a short one for two of the highest profile competitors, Denny Hamlin and Indy Racing League star Sam Hornish Jr.
Hornish completed just 16 laps before an accident and finished last. Hamlin, the polesitter racing about 10 miles from his hometown, ran 80 laps and was 41st.
mds (anonymous) says...
He also placed 9th in the cup race. I'd just like to see a cup win :)
May 6, 2007 at 8:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )