Clint Bowyer: ‘We had to unclog ourselves’

FORT WORTH, TX - MARCH 29: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on March 29, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Stewart-Haas Racing enjoyed its best results of 2019 at Texas Sunday.

For the second race this season—and the second time on an intermediate track—all four SHR Fords finished in the top 10.

Clint Bowyer led the charge with a second-place finish, his first top-five result since Atlanta Motor Speedway five weeks ago.

“We had to unclog ourselves,” said Bowyer after starting 25th. “Once we unclogged ourselves, we were really good.

“Our Mustangs were fast all weekend long. Took a while for our Mustang to get good. This Rush Trucks Center Cummins car, to be honest, was a little off all weekend long. I was pretty nervous coming into the race. Mike (Bugarewicz, crew chief) and everybody made some good adjustments, and then lean on your teammates.”

SHR placed two drivers on the podium. Daniel Suarez led nine laps before finishing a season-best third.

“I’m happy,” Suarez said. “The entire weekend was strong for us. We had the speed all weekend long. I feel like we had for sure a top-five car and at times probably the best car out there on the long run.

“We were just trying to find the right balance back and forth, but I’m just very proud of everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing and Ford Performance, and especially from the 41 guys. They worked extremely hard to bring a good piece for Texas and we did it, so I’m grateful.”

Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick finished seventh and eighth, respectively. With his sixth-consecutive top-10 finish, Harvick moved up to third in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup standings. He trails leader Kyle Busch by 33 points.

Greg Engle