Clint Bowyer leaves Sonoma wanting more

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 24: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 One Cure Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 24, 2018 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Clint Bowyer engineered a spectacular drive In Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, starting 19th and climbing to third at the finish.

But the winner of two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races this season wanted more. Bowyer had tasted victory at Sonoma Raceway in 2012, and he had a craving to quaff the California wine that goes to the winner once again.

Only two problems: 1) Race winner Martin Truex Jr.’s pit strategy, which afforded a comfortable winning margin with a single stop to Bowyer’s two in the final stage, and 2) Bowyer’s teammate Kevin Harvick, who wasn’t willing to surrender the second spot.

“I’m happy to be in this (Stewart-Haas Racing) equipment and have this opportunity, but I’m also frustrated, because we were one of the three that were the class of the field and had a legitimate shot at racing for a win,” Bowyer said. “They (Truex’s team) just took a little different strategy than we did and that’s what it took. You had to separate yourself some way.

“It was a lot of fun out there. I had my struggles just like they did. It seemed like the 4 (Harvick) had a little better turn than I did, and the 78 (Truex) was better. On long runs I was coming to him, especially that real long run we had. Then we started pitting, and I didn’t know what to expect. All in all, it was a solid day and I’m proud of the guys for going out there and getting the job done. We just came up a little short.”

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.