It’s Bowyer In Wild ‘Dega Finish

October 31st, 2010

Clint Bowyer won Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Kevin Harvick thought he had driven a wounded race car to the lead at just the right time, taking the white flag just moments before A.J. Allmendinger’s Ford flipped to end Sunday’s AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

But in true Halloween fashion, NASCAR took several moments to declare a winner. Clint Bowyer doing some massive burnouts at the start/finish line while Harvick patiently waited on the apron for NASCAR to determine the winner. As several minutes passed, the victory was awarded to Bowyer, who was ruled to be ahead of his Richard Childress Racing teammate at the time the yellow caution light was turned on during the final lap.

“Kevin coming on the outside and Juan (Montoya) pushing me got me to the lead,” Bowyer said. “I turned (Marcos Ambrose) around and got into my teammate (Harvick) and I was sick about that but here he came at the end of the race.”

The mysterious finish was yet another chapter in Talladega lore as Bowyer defeated Harvick by just 0.047 second to claim his fourth Sprint Cup victory in 178 starts.

“I didn’t know when the caution came out but I thought we beat him to the line – it was really close,” Harvick said. “I have to thank David Reutimann for pushing me all day. It was a great day for RCR and a great day in the points. I attached myself to the back bumper of the 56 (Martin Truex, Jr.) and was able to get a good run there. We came here to lead some laps and win the race. We came up one short of that but did what we needed to do.”

Montoya finished third to give Chevrolet a sweep of the top three positions. Reutimann’s Toyota was fourth followed by another Toyota driven by Joey Logano.

Point-leader Jimmie Johnson finished seventh, two spots ahead of Denny Hamlin.  Johnson now leads Hamlin by 14 points and Harvick by 38.

“Everybody gained a little bit on everyone,” Hamlin said. “Nobody gained or lost and that is what I wanted. I just wish I could have raced a little more aggressive but with our format you have to play it safe. We had a solid finish. I wish we were further to the front.”

The first 70 laps were run without a caution period. After that, Hamlin lost the draft and feel in danger of getting lapped as he was 46.584 seconds behind the leader on lap 96. Hamlin got lapped on lap 99. Once Hamlin got in line with Reutimann, he was able to unlap himself on lap 103 and that put Reutimann into the lead but would later fall back one lap.

Jeff Burton got tagged from behind and crashed hard on lap 134 to bring out the second yellow flag of the race. On that same lap, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pulled his Chevrolet into the garage area after he was involved in the incident, ending his chance to win the race. Hamlin lost his bid to get the Lucky Dog and get back on the lead lap after he was passed by another lapped car driven by Ryan Newman.

While a group of cars pitted, Johnson stayed on track and was able to get the five bonus points for leading a lap.

Racing resumed on lap 138 with Montoya in front of Reutimann and Joey Logano.

Marcos Ambrose turned sideways off turn two after Clint Bowyer ran into the back of Ambrose’s car. Harvick ran into Ambrose for another caution on lap 140. Hamlin was able to get back on the lead lap. Harvick’s Chevrolet sustained front end damage forcing it into the pit area. Johnson’s Chevrolet also got bumped in the back and suffered damage.

The green flag waved on lap 145 with Logano in front of Kurt and Kyle Busch. Harvick restarted the race in 26th position.

Despite the damage, Harvick raced his way up to seventh in just two laps by getting a two-car push from teammate Clint Bowyer.

Following a debris caution, the green flag resumed racing with 33 laps to go. Hamlin got a push from teammate Kyle Busch and moved up to fourth place with Kenseth in the lead. One lap later, Hamlin took the lead before surrendering it on lap 159.

With 15 laps to go, Johnson was given the “Go” signal from crew chief Chad Knaus and he teamed up with fellow Hendrick driver Gordon to get up to the front. Three laps later, Gordon was in the lead and Johnson was second. Once in front, however, Gordon’s engine began to sputter leaving Johnson without his favorite drafting partner.

With eight laps to go, NASCAR called a “debris caution” as a tire apparently exploded in the fourth turn on Joe Nemechek’s car.

That set up the wild, confusing and mysterious outcome of the race when the green flag waved with four laps to go. Bowyer was in front of Johnson, who got hung out in the draft coming out of the second turn. Montoya latched onto the rear bumper of Bowyer’s Chevy pushing it away from the pack of cars with three to go. Reutimann gave Harvick a huge push and put Harvick into the lead out of turn two with two to go.

Of course, that would all change in a “photo finish.”