Bowyer’s ‘karma train’ can’t quite outrun teammate Harvick for Dover win

DOVER, Del. – Runner-up Clint Bowyer needed just “one more shot” to adjust his No. 14 Ford. Then, maybe, he would have had something for race winner and Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick in Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway. When the race restarted with less than 100 laps remaining, and he and Harvick led the field to green, Bowyer knew he was in trouble; the No. 14 held onto the lead for 12 laps before Harvick’s No. 4 whirled by him for the lead and eventual victory. RELATED: Harvick holds off Bowyer for Dover win | Dover race results “The biggest thing was he just had the luxury all day long of working on his car in clean air,” Bowyer said on pit road after the race. “It makes such a big difference having clean air and not. We battled through a lot of adversity, put ourselves back in position to win this thing … The guys did a good job of keeping us out front and giving me the opportunity. But as soon as we took off and I went off into (Turn) 1, it was pretty loose … “When a car’s stuck like that behind you and you’re wagging your tail and holding onto that thing for all you’re worth, you’re just in trouble.” Bowyer was ahead of the field when the red flag waved and the cars were brought down pit road on Lap 320 of the 400-lap event due to a long-anticipated Delaware shower. As the teams waited out Mother Nature for just over 41 minutes, Harvick and Bowyer conversed on pit road with smiles. “I'm thinking, oh, my gosh, I've talked so much trash to him all weekend and he's already told me that the karma train is going to run me over when it started raining …” Harvick said of his mindset during the battle with his teammate. “I feel like when you come to Dover … Clint is going to be one of the people that you have to beat just because of the fact that he's been so good for so many years here … “To be able to race with him is a lot of fun, and I'd much rather keep it within the house than racing with somebody else.” The entire Stewart-Haas Racing fleet emerged from Sunday’s event at the 'Monster Mile' with three cars in the top 10 (Kurt Busch finished fifth), the team’s fourth car of Aric Almirola recording an 11th-place result. The team has won five of 11 races thus far in 2018 and when compared to its pair of wins the entire last season, the progress is monumental. MORE: See where Bowyer, SHR teammates rank in 2018 stage points “It's days like today that build the momentum in the organization,” team owner Tony Stewart said. “It's another milestone for us to have three cars in the top five today. We're proud of everybody … You have to keep evolving and keep pushing the envelope … We go back and we celebrate the wins, but … instead of looking behind us at what we did, we look forward at what we're trying to accomplish and what we're trying to do the next week. … “We'll high-five each other at the shop tomorrow, but at the same time, we're digging for the next week and trying to get ready for Kansas now and trying to do the same thing again next weekend.” For Bowyer, the difference between this season and his last few in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is drastic; already a race winner in 2018, he seems rejuvenated and enjoys being “up in the limelight.” “It’s fun to be a part of this organization – we finally got my car where … everybody on the 14 car capable of running with the 4 car,” Bowyer said. “They were the class of our organization all year last year and a year under our belts with this 14 bunch … You’re starting to see us reap the benefits of that year under our belts. So, a lot of fun, a lot more racing to go. I hate to give ‘em up like that, but if you’re going to lose to somebody it might as well be your teammate.” The series returns to the 'Monster Mile' on October 7 during the Playoffs and the No. 14 team will have a full notebook to revisit. Next time, Bowyer may be the one taming the monster instead of Harvick. “He’s obviously a champion of this sport, and you hate to lose him, know what I mean?” Bowyer said of his teammate. “We could beat him at this race track. “We come back in the fall, and when all the marbles are on the line, maybe we can.”