Bowyer Spun Out of Potential Strong Finish at The Glen

Race/Date: Zippo 200 – Aug. 9, 2008 - Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
Start Position: 17th - Finish Position: 23rd - Points Position: First (128-point lead)

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Clint Bowyer was two-thirds of the way into the Zippo 200 when heavy contact from another driver in turn one spun out the No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS and any chance of what was shaping up to be a strong finish at Watkins Glen International.

Bowyer and Company maintain the NASCAR Nationwide Series points lead with the difference between themselves and Brad Keselowski, in his second stint in the second spot, at 128 points. Carl Edwards is third, 174 points in arrears, David Reutimann is fourth, 290 points back and David Ragan is 301 points back in fifth.

The Emporia, Kan., native was in the next-to-last group to hit the track in the unique road racing qualifying procedure. His quick lap of 1:14.259 minutes (118.773 mph) on the 11-turn, 2.45-mile central New York road course was good enough for the 17th position. The BB&T Chevy would line up on the inside of the ninth row for Saturday’s 82-lap feature.

Despite rain in the area throughout the week, Saturday’s mid-afternoon start was under warm, sunny skies. Bowyer quickly picked up a couple of spots in the running order and was 14th when the first of the day’s six caution flags waved on lap 12. Crew chief Dan Deeringhoff called for Bowyer to come down pit lane for fuel and fresh Goodyear tires, sending the BB&T Chevy back to the fray in 17th as a result of a few participants not making pit stops.

Two quick cautions over the next 11 laps slowed the action but allowed Bowyer to pick up six spots on the race track. He cracked the top 10 on lap 27 and was ninth when the fourth full course caution flag waved on lap 41, the race’s halfway point. The decision to pit or not mixed up the running order and Bowyer, who came down pit road, was 16th when racing resumed on lap 45.

Deeringhoff kept his driver on the track when another full-course caution slowed the action on lap 50. That allowed Bowyer to restart second on lap 54, directly behind Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton. Unfortunately, as the pack roared into the first turn, a downhill 90-degree off-camber lefthander, the BB&T Chevrolet was hit hard in the right side by Edwards’ car. Both went spinning onto the runoff area and, by the time he was able to get back onto the racing surface, the majority of the field had passed Bowyer and he was 30th in the running order.

Damage to the car was minimal but time lost on the track was the major problem, especially with the number of laps remaining in the race. Still, Bowyer was able to pick up seven spots before the checkered flag waved.

Australian Marcos Ambrose earned his first Nationwide Series victory. The balance of the top-five finishers was Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Dario Franchitti. Burton led a number of the closing laps but had to pit late for fuel and finished 14th.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to oval racing for the balance of the season beginning next week at Michigan International Speedway.

The CARFAX 250 will be televised live on ESPN2 on Saturday, Aug. 9 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 25th round of the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship will be televised on SPEED the same day beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES

“That was a very frustrating run for us because Dan (Deeringhoff, crew chief) had a good race strategy that gave us the track position we needed. What’s even more frustrating is that this is the second time (Edwards) has taken us out. It is what it is at this point but it’s something I’ll file away for the future.”