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| Clint Bowyer waves the checker flag after running out of gas during his burnout. (Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR) |
The sweetest taste in Sonoma might have been the wine, but for Clint Bowyer, it was the sweet taste of victory. Bowyer was able to fight off Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart, and had just enough gas in the tank after a GWC finish.
What It Means
Who would have thought a dirt track racer from Kansas would win at Sonoma? I sure didn't pick him this weekend. It's his first win of the season and first win with his brand new Michael Waltrip Racing team. The win also moves him within four points of Tony Stewart for the fifth place in the point standings.
Record Setting
Today's race had an average speed of 83.624 MPH, a new track record and also started out with 82 laps of green flag racing and had only two yellow flags, which are also track records.
Walking Into Victory Lane
Usually, drivers and crews walk into victory lane to congratulate the winner and shake hands with the team. Today, it was the race winner, Clint Bowyer, who walked into victory lane to celebrate after his car ran out of gas while doing victory burnouts.
Still On The Lead Lap
Last week's winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., came into today's race with one thing on his mind: getting a top 10 finish. It appeared NASCAR's most popular driver was going to be able to escape wine country with a solid top 15 and minimal damage in the points until he was involved in a crash on the final restart that shot him down to 23rd place and 3rd place in the point standings. One thing to take away from today, he still finished on the lead lap and is still the only driver to complete every lap this year.
Great Day for Team Tiger Blood
If you thought Kurt Busch was an ungrateful "fill in the blank" before, you might have changed your tune after today. During the last caution, after Kurt was beating and banging with eventual race winner, Clint Bowyer, something broke in the rear end of Kurt's unsponsored Chevy. He was able to fight off Tony Stewart for almost two laps during the GWC finish until turn 11 and wound up finishing third. A emotional Busch spoke afterwards on pit road and thanked everybody who had stood behind him, including his owner, James Finch. At the end he said he might start referring to his unsponsored team as Team Tiger Blood.
The Race to The Chase
- Matt Kenseth 596 Pts.
- Greg Biffle -11
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -14
- Jimmie Johnson -25
- Tony Stewart -63
- Kevin Harvick -64
- Clint Bowyer -67
- Denny Hamlin -73
- Martin Truex Jr. -76
- Brad Keselowski -106
Wild Card Wins Pts. Pos.
- Kyle Busch 1 12
- Ryan Newman 1 13
- Joey Lagano 1 15
- Kasey Kahne 1 17
- Carl Edwards 0 11
TheNASCARTER's Take
Clint Bowyer left Richard Childress Racing last year in a move that shocked most of us, mainly because he was heading to Michael Waltrip Racing with a brand new team that had never been tested and to an organization that was having issues with sponsors and their drivers. Today, he put all that to rest with an impressive victory. I can't say enough either about Kurt Busch who needs a sponsor so badly and Clint's part time teammate, Brian Vickers who finished fourth in the number 55 Aaron's Dream Machine.
Up Next
NASCAR heads back to Kentucky Motor Speedway for the second annual Quaker State 400.
