Bowyer Bumped on Final Lap from Fifth 
Runner-Up Finish at Nashville

Race/Date: Federated Auto Parts 300 presented by Dollar General – June 7, 2008 - Location: Nashville Superspeedway – Lebanon, Tenn. - Start Position: Fourth - Finish Position: Fourth - Points Position: First – Extended Points Lead

LEBANON, Tenn. – With a fifth consecutive runner-up finish at Nashville Superspeedway in sight, Clint Bowyer and the No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS ultimately had to settle for fourth after taking a shot in the back bumper by a competitor in the third turn of the final lap of the Federated Auto Parts 300.

Despite losing two spots in the final rundown, the Emporia, Kan., native is now 166 points ahead of David Reutimann, who moved up two positions into second. Kyle Busch dropped one position, to third, now 188 points back, Carl Edwards is fourth, 190 points down, and Brad Keselowski is fifth, 192 points in arrears.

The No. 2 BB&T Chevy was the fifth car to attempt a qualifying run on the 1.33-mile D-shaped oval. His run of 30.167 seconds (159.074 mph) was 0.164 of a second off the pole speed but good enough for the fourth starting slot.

An estimated crowd of 35,000 filed into Nashville Superspeedway on a warm early June evening for 225 laps of NASCAR Nationwide Series competition. Bowyer, who had flown back and forth Friday and Saturday between Nashville and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., was part of a five-car breakaway after just four laps of racing. He radioed in to crew chief Dan Deeringhoff three laps later that the car was loose getting into and in the middle of the turns.

The first of 10 caution flags waved on lap eight but Deeringhoff kept the BB&T Chevy on the racing surface. Green-flag racing resumed a few laps later and it wasn’t until lap 60, while in fourth during a green-flag run, that Bowyer finally came down pit road. Chassis adjustments and air pressure changes to the tires were the call to remedy the handling situation.

Bowyer ran mostly in the top five for the race’s first 100 laps and took over the top spot on lap 110. He maintained that position for 65 laps before Reutimann made the pass for the lead. Bowyer took back the lead on lap 218 and Reutimann was passed by Keselowski, who then passed the BB&T Chevy for the lead on lap 220. The handling of the BB&T Chevrolet had gone to the tight side and was going to be a non-factor for the win but Bowyer seemed to have a lock on yet another runner-up spot at Nashville. However, David Stremme decided to use the front bumper of his car to bounce Bowyer out of the way with just two turns and half of the front stretch remaining in the race. The move got Bowyer out of shape and ultimately allowed Stremme and Reutimann to slip by.

Keselowski earned his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory. He was followed across the finish line by Stremme, Reutimann, Bowyer and David Ragan. Bowyer’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Scott Wimmer finished seventh.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series heads to The Bluegrass State next weekend for the second of three consecutive stand-alone events.

Live coverage of the Meijer 300 from Kentucky Speedway begins Saturday, June 14 at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live in ESPN2 and broadcast from coast to coast on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 16th race on the 2008 schedule will be televised live on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. EDT. MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio will broadcast qualifying updates live.

• Clint Bowyer Quote

“The BB&T Chevy got to plowing there at the end. We didn’t have anything for the 88 (Keselowski) but I sure thought we were good to go for another second (-place finish) at Nashville. I’m not sure what he (Stremme) was thinking. The guys did a great job on pit lane again so we’ll take the points and go to Kentucky next week.”