Catchfence

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 1, 2010) – Clint Bowyer and the No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet team ran near the front of the pack during a high-speed duel, took the lead with 10 laps remaining and held off teammate Kevin Harvick to win the AMP Energy Juice 500 on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway and capture three post-race contingency awards.

Bowyer held off a hard-charging Harvick on the low side of the track and momentarily awaited the official announcement as a last-lap caution froze the field and necessitated an officials’ review of the finish which showed Bowyer slightly ahead of Harvick. Harvick overcame an earlier incident and his second-place finish pulls him to within 38 points of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup leader Jimmie Johnson.

For the No. 33 BB&T team from Richard Childress Racing, the effort earned them the Sunoco Diamond Performance Award as the highest-finishing eligible driver as well as the MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Race award for Earnhardt Childress Racing. This was the second MAHLE Clevite award of the season for the No. 33 team and the seventh overall for ECR Engines The award is provided to the top engine builder for qualifying and finishing position.

Interim crew chief Scott Miller earned the DirecTV Crew Chief of the Race Award, given weekly to the crew chief of the driver who has demonstrated the best qualifying and race effort based on finishing times during the weekend. This is the first such award for Miller and the second for the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing team.

The awards are part of the NASCAR Prize Money and Decal Program, also referred to as the Contingency Program, which provide teams prize money and weekly awards based on performance in several categories.

“We were real close to winning three of the seven races we participated in, in this Chase,” said Bowyer. “That’s due to great preparation from Shane Wilson and everybody on this 33 team. A lot of people don’t realize how much work goes into this. Those pit crew guys, the guys that build the bodies, build these race cars week in and week out at the race shop, to be able to win.

“Shane built an awesome race car. Scott has done a great job all year long of being a competition director and filling that role that we never had, filling the void. To be able to step in and come close to winning two races in the four races he’s been here is pretty incredible. So very proud of the job that he’s done stepping in for us.”

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup continues with Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. (ESPN; 1 p.m. ET).

Official winners of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prize Money & Decal Program special awards include:

· COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Juan Pablo Montoya (184.64 mph)
· DIRECTV CREW CHIEF OF THE RACE AWARD: Scott Miller (crew chief for Clint Bowyer)
· GOODYEAR GATORBACK BELTS FASTEST LAP AWARD: Mark Martin (198.516 mph, Lap 51)
· MAHLE CLEVITE ENGINE BUILDER OF THE RACE AWARD: Earnhardt Childress Racing
Technologies, #33
· MOBIL 1 “COMMAND PERFORMANCE DRIVER OF THE RACE” AWARD: Juan Pablo Montoya
· MOOG CHASSIS PARTS PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE RACE AWARD: Steve Letarte (crew chief for Jeff Gordon)
· O’REILLY AUTO PARTS POSITION IMPROVEMENT AWARD:Robby Gordon (24 places)
· SUNOCO DIAMOND PERFORMANCE AWARD: Clint Bowyer
· TISSOT “PIT ROAD PRECISION” AWARD: Matt Kenseth, (337.598 secs.)
· WIX FILTERS LAP LEADER AWARD: Kyle Busch (20 Laps)

About the NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program
The NASCAR Prize Money & Decal Program, commonly referred to as the contingency program, is administered by the NASCAR Automotive Group. The program strives to build strong relationships with high-quality, performance-driven brands that are leaders in their respective categories and award money to NASCAR teams via per-race and year-end postings. Competitors become eligible for awards money by displaying partner decals on the front fender of their race vehicles and, in some instances, use of a sponsor’s product. National series contingency sponsors will contribute over $8.8 million to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams in 2010.

- NASCAR, Press Release