{"id":15635,"date":"2018-03-26T19:30:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T00:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=15635"},"modified":"2018-03-27T12:35:46","modified_gmt":"2018-03-27T17:35:46","slug":"clint-bowyer-breaks-190-race-drought-with-martinsville-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2018\/03\/26\/clint-bowyer-breaks-190-race-drought-with-martinsville-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Clint Bowyer breaks 190-race drought with Martinsville win"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

MARTINSVILLE, Va. \u2013 Clint Bowyer<\/strong> was so excited he started his celebratory burnout at the entrance to Turn 3 at Martinsville Speedway, flirting perilously with the outside wall.<\/p>\n

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Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford, crosses the finish line to win the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bowyer had ample reason to start the party early, before he got to the frontstretch for a traditional smoke show. With his victory in Monday\u2019s snow-delayed STP 500, he had just ended a winless streak in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series that had reached 190 races, dating to the fall race at Charlotte in 2012.<\/p>\n

The victory did more than end a drought. It validated the decision of Stewart-Haas Racing to put him behind the wheel of the No. 14 Ford last year, after team co-owner Tony Stewart retired from NASCAR competition. With his ninth career victory and his first at the .526-mile short track, Bowyer paid off SHR\u2019s investment in his future.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford, celebrates winning the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With Kevin Harvick stringing together victories at Atlanta, Las Vegas, and ISM Raceway at Phoenix, Stewart-Haas has won four of the first six races of 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe learned last year,\u201d said Bowyer, who finished 1.146 seconds ahead of runner-up Kyle Busch in a race that was delayed from Sunday to Monday when an unexpectedly severe snowstorm hit southern Virginia on Saturday afternoon. \u201cObviously, Harvick came on strong at the end of last year, but it was a learning year for our team and the 14 bunch.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowyer had a strong feeling before Monday\u2019s race, and he told his young son Cash as much.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford, celebrates winning the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cFor whatever reason, it felt right driving up here,\u201d said Bowyer, who led 215 laps, all but one (under caution) after taking the lead from third-place finisher Ryan Blaney on Lap 285. \u201cSuch a cool place, to be able to drive up through the countryside on a two-lane road and think about the race.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him (Cash) this morning, I was like, \u2018Dammit, we\u2019ve got to get a picture in Victory Lane.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what Bowyer did, avoiding any misstep over the final 200 laps that would have allowed Busch to close in. Busch finished second for the third time in four races and took over the series lead from Martin Truex Jr., who started from the pole and came home fourth.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford, leads Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota, during the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe just tried to maintain and keep ourselves in the right position, in the right spots all day long on the long runs and save our stuff as much as we could to see if we couldn’t mount a charge late in the going,\u201d Busch said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us, saving our stuff, the 14 was able to save his stuff, and he was a little bit better than we were.  He was able to kind of edge out there through the early laps of firing off each and every time, first 10 or 15 (laps), and kind of get that gap, and then he’d kind of just hold that. He was probably saving just as much as I was trying to save to make sure he had something to go at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

The victory was Bowyer\u2019s sixth top five in 25 starts at the paper-clip-shaped speedway.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis place is an acquired taste,\u201d Bowyer said. \u201cWhen I first got here I was a duck out of water, just like everybody else that starts here at first. I learned from Jimmie Johnson and learned from Jeff Gordon, sometimes the hard way, but nonetheless I learned over the years and finally put it to good use. <\/p>\n

\"\"
Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards\/Libman Ford, leads Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford, and Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, during the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cTo keep Kyle Busch, one of the best in the business, behind you in those closing laps, the nerves were through the roof.  It\u2019s unbelievable how it all came true.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harvick ran fifth after a run-in with 12th-place finisher Denny Hamlin near the midpoint of the event. Joey Logano, Alex Bowman, AJ Allmendinger, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski completed the top 10. For Elliott, the top 10 was a significant accomplishment, given that he twice went a lap down to the leader, only to regain the lost circuits as the beneficiary under caution.<\/p>\n

Johnson, who leads active drivers with nine victories at Martinsville, finished 15th, a lap down. Blaney led 145 laps, second only to Bowyer, and won the second 130-lap stage of the race. Hamlin led 111 laps early, claimed the first stage victory and, like Blaney, collected a playoff point.<\/p>\n

Media Center Interviews:<\/h3>\n

Clint Bowyer, Greg Zipadelli and Mike Burgarewicz – <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/MS_MENCS_Busch_Blaney_032618.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race – STP 500<\/b><\/p>\n

Martinsville Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

Martinsville, Virginia<\/b><\/p>\n

Monday, March 26, 2018<\/b><\/p>\n

                  1. (9) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  2. (2) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 500.<\/p>\n

                  3. (5) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  4. (1) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 500.<\/p>\n

                  5. (8) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  6. (3) Joey Logano, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  7. (16) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 500.<\/p>\n

                  8. (25) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 500.<\/p>\n

                  9. (21) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 500.<\/p>\n

                  10. (4) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  11. (11) Kurt Busch, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  12. (6) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 500.<\/p>\n

                  13. (15) Paul Menard, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  14. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 500.<\/p>\n

                  15. (18) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 499.<\/p>\n

                  16. (7) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 499.<\/p>\n

                  17. (13) Erik Jones, Toyota, 497.<\/p>\n

                  18. (23) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 497.<\/p>\n

                  19. (14) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 497.<\/p>\n

                  20. (20) William Byron #, Chevrolet, 497.<\/p>\n

                  21. (24) Michael McDowell, Ford, 497.<\/p>\n

                  22. (32) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 496.<\/p>\n

                  23. (22) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 496.<\/p>\n

                  24. (29) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 496.<\/p>\n

                  25. (28) David Ragan, Ford, 495.<\/p>\n

                  26. (26) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 495.<\/p>\n

                  27. (35) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 493.<\/p>\n

                  28. (37) * DJ Kennington, Toyota, 493.<\/p>\n

                  29. (33) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 493.<\/p>\n

                  30. (12) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 493.<\/p>\n

                  31. (38) * JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, 493.<\/p>\n

                  32. (31) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 488.<\/p>\n

                  33. (27) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 486.<\/p>\n

                  34. (19) Darrell Wallace Jr. #, Chevrolet, 486.<\/p>\n

                  35. (30) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, 482.<\/p>\n

                  36. (34) Gray Gaulding, Toyota, 481.<\/p>\n

                  37. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 481.<\/p>\n

                  38. (36) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 211.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  81.663 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  03 Hrs, 13 Mins, 14 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.146 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  4 for 33 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  11 among 6 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   M. Truex Jr. 1-4; Kyle Busch 5-26; D. Hamlin 27-51; Kyle Busch 52; D. Hamlin 53-135; B. Keselowski 136; R. Blaney 137-142; D. Hamlin 143-145; R. Blaney 146-284; C. Bowyer 285-385; Kyle Busch 386; C. Bowyer 387-500.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  C. Bowyer 2 times for 215 laps; R. Blaney 2 times for 145 laps; D. Hamlin 3 times for 111 laps; Kyle Busch 3 times for 24 laps; M. Truex Jr. 1 time for 4 laps; B. Keselowski 1 time for 1 lap.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,2,12,18,14,4,47,41,22,48<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 12,14,18,2,11,4,41,47,22,48<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service MARTINSVILLE, Va. \u2013 Clint Bowyer was so excited he started his celebratory burnout at the entrance to Turn 3 at Martinsville Speedway, flirting perilously with the outside wall. Bowyer had ample reason to start the party early, before he got to the frontstretch for a traditional smoke show. With<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15646,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-15635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-44b","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/MS_MENCS_VL_032618-e1522171857675.jpg?fit=640%2C427","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15635"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15635\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15650,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15635\/revisions\/15650"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}