Catchfence

Race/Date: NASCAR Banking 500 – October 17, 2009
Location: Lowe’s Motor Speedway – Concord, N.C.
Start Position: 11th
Finish Position: Sixth
Points Position: 15th (Maintained position)

CONCORD, N.C. – Clint Bowyer’s No. 33 Scary Fast Count Chocula Chevrolet lived up to its name Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway as “Count Bowyer” raced his way to a sixth-place finish in the NASCAR Banking 500.

His second-consecutive top-10 finish allowed Bowyer to maintain the 15th position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings with just five races remaining in the 2009 season.

Bowyer recorded the third-fastest time in Thursday’s opening practice session and, later that evening, ran a lap of 28.388 seconds, at an average speed of 190.221 mph, to place him 11th on the starting grid for Saturday evening’s race. Friday’s two practice sessions were not as successful for the No. 33 team as Bowyer recorded the 23rd- and 22nd-fastest times, respectively. Following the less-than-desired showing, Bowyer, crew chief Shane Wilson and engineers from the Richard Childress Racing team devised a plan for changes to the setup that would better suit the 30-year-old driver’s style for the 500-mile event.

The Emporia, Kan., native was fast in the early goings, but two caution periods in the opening 10 laps prevented Bowyer from improving his position. Once the field settled into a green-flag run, Bowyer fell to the 18th position as a result of a tight condition in the center of the turns. The caution flag was displayed at lap 34 as a light rain began to fall, giving Bowyer the opportunity he needed to come to pit road to take on four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. Quick work by the Helping Hands pit crew advanced Bowyer two positions, to 16th, for the lap-42 restart.

The chassis adjustment was just what Bowyer needed as he climbed his way to the sixth position at lap 108. The two-time NSCS race winner maintained his position inside the top 10 during the middle stages of the event, advancing into the top five as the race neared conclusion.

Bowyer waged a spirited battle with RCR teammate Casey Mears in the closing laps, with Bowyer besting his stablemate for the sixth position when the checkered flag waved.

Jimmie Johnson captured his second-consecutive win, beating Matt Kenseth to the line by 2.303 seconds. Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano rounded out the top-five finishers.

Bowyer’s RCR teammates Mears, Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick finished seventh, 14th and 18th, respectively.

Next weekend, NASCAR’s senior circuit heads slightly north when it makes its second and final stop of the season at the paper clip-shaped Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.

Live coverage of the Tums Fast Relief 500 from Martinsville Speedway begins Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and will be telecast live on ABC. The event will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 32nd points-paying race on the 36-race tour will be broadcast live on ESPN2 Friday, Oct. 23 beginning at 3 p.m. EDT and can be heard worldwide on MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTE

“It was a good night for us. It was a solid run. We raced up front all night long. We got a little behind because we got a little too tight at the end, so we couldn’t really go. But, all-in-all it was a good night for our Count Chocula Chevrolet.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Release