28/03/2018
28/03/2018
MARTINSVILLE, Virginia, March 27, (AP): When snow at Martinsville Speedway gave NASCAR a rare day off, Clint Bowyer loaded his car with kids and drove them to North Carolina for a day at the Hall of Fame. As Bowyer returned to the track for Monday’s rescheduled race, he told his 3-year-old son he wanted to take a picture with him in Victory Lane. Cash Bowyer told his father he wanted a checkered flag. Both father and son got their wish. Bowyer snapped a 190-race losing streak dating to 2012 with a dominating victory at Martinsville Speedway. Monday’s win continued the strong start to the NASCAR season for Stewart-Haas Racing, which has won four of the first six races to start the year. Bowyer then went into the stands to greet the fans who returned to Martinsville two days after a snowstorm pushed all track activity to Monday. Bowyer’s victory was his first driving for SHR, the team he joined as Tony Stewart’s replacement last year. The move to SHR was supposed to turn Bowyer’s fortunes around, but his struggles continued through his first year in the No. 14 Ford. He finally figured it out on the short track in Virginia and won for the first time since his victory at Charlotte in October 2012. Bowyer had led just 145 combined laps the last four years and bettered that Monday with 215 laps led and his first career Martinsville victory. It was the ninth career victory for Bowyer, but first since he was a legitimate title contender in 2012 before the bottom fell out. He was snared in a cheating scandal with Michael Waltrip Racing, that team never recovered and folded, and Bowyer has been trying to find his footing since. He thanked Gene Haas and Stewart for bringing him to SHR. Bowyer began his celebratory burnout before he completed a cool-down lap, and then climbed on the hood of his cars with his arms raised in victory. He jumped into the arms of his SHR crew, and then was met by his son, who had never before seen his father win a Cup race. Cash Bowyer exchanged high-fives with the SHR crew then sat on top of the winning car. Later, in Victory Lane, Clint Bowyer hugged the Martinsville signature trophy grandfather clock, chugged several beers, and let his son soak in his first post-race celebration. Bowyer is the first driver to notch victories driving a Chevrolet, Toyota and Ford. Now the Kansas native, a die-hard Jayhawks fan, goes into NASCAR’s off weekend ready to celebrate his victory and KU’s spot in the Final Four. As much as he pleaded with wife, Lorra, the victory party won’t be traveling to San Antonio to watch Kansas play. Lorra Bowyer shook her head no. Kyle Busch finished second in a Toyota, and Ryan Blaney, who led 145 laps and won the second stage, was third in a Ford. Martin Truex Jr., the defending series champion and winner last week in California, was fourth in a Toyota. Bowyer teammate Kevin Harvick, winner of three races this season, was fifth and followed by Joey Logano in another Ford. Alex Bowman was seventh and AJ Allmendinger eighth in the highest finishes for Chevrolet drivers. Busch was frustrated after his third runner-up finish of the season. “I mean, we take solace, sure, but you know, ultimately we’re here to win each and every week,” he said. The closing laps were eventful for Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, who made contact late in the race. But Harvick insisted he didn’t intentionally brake-check Hamlin at the end.