Clint Bowyer rolled the dice on gas, while Tony Stewart came up empty to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase in New Hampshire.
It was a race for gambles and comebacks. Bowyer, who was 12th seeded in the Chase and, thus, a dark horse, repeated his 2007 Chase victory at the Magic Mile, after Tony Stewart’s car spluttered on the penultimate lap of the 300-lap race.
Denny Hamlin, the point’s leader coming to New Hampshire, came back to second after a spin early in the race. Daytona 500 winner, Jamie McMurray finished third and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fourth.
"I hate it for Tony. You hate to win races like that," Bowyer said. "But I got here, and I felt like this race back in 2007. We did it again."
Like the late American comedian, Rodney Dangerfield’s line, Bowyer “got no respect,” due to his 88-race winless streak, and down home, good-guy demeanor.
Now he is a legitimate contender again. It was his first win since Richmond in May 2008. “We launched ourselves into the pressure cooker early,” said Bowyer talking about making NASCAR’s playoffs.
Although Bowyer dominated the early going Stewart took the lead on a late-race restart and it appeared that Clint could get close but not pass the two-time Cup Champion.
They both pitted on lap 208, but, there were about 20 laps of caution in those last 92 laps making the fuel gamble a possibility.
"It's terrible. You want to go and I thought I could run him down, but I was using so much fuel through the middle of the corner that I had to back down," Bowyer said.
But Bowyer got a conflicting message from his crew chief, Gil Martin, to run down Stewart, but, save fuel. That strategy won the day.
As Stewart, who ended up 24th, said: “We went down swinging. It’s hard to lose one that way but it was fun racing Clint. I think it ran me out of fuel.”
Hamlin, who came back from 22nd after being spun by Carl Edwards, said: "When we restarted 22nd, I immediately set a goal and said, 'Let's finish top 15.' A few things happen and it was like, 'Let's get a top eight,' and then, 'Top six. Holy cow, we can win this thing.' It was one of those days; we just made a heck of a charge at the end."
The late race was disastrous for seven Chasers involved in spins and damage in three cautions, including Jimmie Johnson, who stopped for repairs and finished a lowly 25th after running as high as fourth.
So Hamlin holds a 35-point lead over the humble but humorous Bowyer. As Richard Childress, Bowyer’s car owner, said: “He's what NASCAR needs, a new type of hero."
It was a race for gambles and comebacks. Bowyer, who was 12th seeded in the Chase and, thus, a dark horse, repeated his 2007 Chase victory at the Magic Mile, after Tony Stewart’s car spluttered on the penultimate lap of the 300-lap race.
Denny Hamlin, the point’s leader coming to New Hampshire, came back to second after a spin early in the race. Daytona 500 winner, Jamie McMurray finished third and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fourth.
"I hate it for Tony. You hate to win races like that," Bowyer said. "But I got here, and I felt like this race back in 2007. We did it again."
Like the late American comedian, Rodney Dangerfield’s line, Bowyer “got no respect,” due to his 88-race winless streak, and down home, good-guy demeanor.
Now he is a legitimate contender again. It was his first win since Richmond in May 2008. “We launched ourselves into the pressure cooker early,” said Bowyer talking about making NASCAR’s playoffs.
Although Bowyer dominated the early going Stewart took the lead on a late-race restart and it appeared that Clint could get close but not pass the two-time Cup Champion.
They both pitted on lap 208, but, there were about 20 laps of caution in those last 92 laps making the fuel gamble a possibility.
"It's terrible. You want to go and I thought I could run him down, but I was using so much fuel through the middle of the corner that I had to back down," Bowyer said.
But Bowyer got a conflicting message from his crew chief, Gil Martin, to run down Stewart, but, save fuel. That strategy won the day.
As Stewart, who ended up 24th, said: “We went down swinging. It’s hard to lose one that way but it was fun racing Clint. I think it ran me out of fuel.”
Hamlin, who came back from 22nd after being spun by Carl Edwards, said: "When we restarted 22nd, I immediately set a goal and said, 'Let's finish top 15.' A few things happen and it was like, 'Let's get a top eight,' and then, 'Top six. Holy cow, we can win this thing.' It was one of those days; we just made a heck of a charge at the end."
The late race was disastrous for seven Chasers involved in spins and damage in three cautions, including Jimmie Johnson, who stopped for repairs and finished a lowly 25th after running as high as fourth.
So Hamlin holds a 35-point lead over the humble but humorous Bowyer. As Richard Childress, Bowyer’s car owner, said: “He's what NASCAR needs, a new type of hero."