RELATED: Johnson prevails at Bristol | Race results
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Clint Bowyer’s career revival was in full swing here Monday at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Stewart-Haas Racing driver finishing second in the Food City 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.
It was Bowyer’s best result since joining the four-car operation before the start of the 2017 season.
In a race that was delayed one day by rain, Bowyer could see but could not catch eventual race winner Jimmie Johnson in the waning laps of 500-lap affair. The seven-time champion was a tick of the stopwatch ahead at the finish line, earning his 82nd career victory and further cementing his status as one of the series’ greatest drivers of all time.
Seventh when he brought his car to pit road for the final time during a caution on Lap 464, Bowyer restarted ninth for the final push. It wasn’t long before he was battling with Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Larson for the lead.
Then it was only Johnson out his front windshield.
"It’s Jimmie Johnson," Bowyer, 37, said. "You’re just … you try everything you possibly can and I was starting to do some pretty desperate things with brakes and my line and stuff like that, and then you just realize — your mindset quickly changes, and you’re like, ‘all right, let’s put it in perspective here; we’ve come a long way, it was a long day, and second place is probably a good run for us, and we should be happy with that. We shouldn’t hang our head about it.’ "
This was no finish created by smoke and mirrors — Bowyer and the No. 14 team, led by crew chief Mike Buggarewicz, earned every position picked up on the high-banked half-mile oval. And there were plenty to be collected. Bowyer started ninth on the 39-car grid but quickly found himself the last car on the lead lap.
"Way too loose," he said. "(We) just missed it."
Then, after racing his way inside the top 10 and staying there, a pit road speeding penalty on Lap 326.
"Mike made some great adjustments (and) the pit crew was on their game all day long … gained spots almost every time and then I lost them all back on pit road speeding," Bowyer said.
"Went to the back again, and then drove back up through them."
The decision to take four tires on the final stop was crucial.
"I think the 48 (of Johnson) was the other one (to take four tires) and he won the race, so the right strategy was there," Bowyer said.
"The team effort was there. You know, that’s what a weekend is all about. It’s just been this long since I’ve won a race and here is pretty special. It would have been pretty cool to be over there in Victory Lane."
Bowyer has finished 13th or better in seven consecutive races and Monday’s runner-up effort edged out a third-place run at Auto Club Speedway for "season’s best" honors at this point.
In 2016, driving for the now defunct HScott Motorsports, he had no top-five finishes and just three top 10s, numbers he has already exceeded.
Pleased with a runner-up, but disappointed just the same.
"Been that way my whole life," said Bowyer, who has eight career victories but none since 2012. "Since I was about 5 years old.
"You struggle and struggle and struggle for a year and a half .. and hell, next thing you know you’re being greedy about (finishing) second.
"That’s just the way racers are and the way it’s always been. (But) having a ton of fun and working hard and seeing the results is gratifying for this race team."
