Sat Mar 15 18:42:58 2008

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Bowyer wins rain-shortened Sharpie Mini 300

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Bristol, TN (Sports Network) - Clint Bowyer won Saturday afternoon's Sharpie Mini 300 at the Bristol Motor Speedway after rain halted the race 171 laps into the 300-lap event. Bowyer was leading Kasey Kahne by less than half-a- second when the caution flags came out.

The victory was Bowyer's first of the season and sixth of his Nationwide career.

"I'll take it any way I can get it," said Bowyer after being declared the winner. "Kasey Kahne raced me clean, he had the best car, but it's not always the best car that wins."

After a nearly two-hour rain delay, the race finally got underway with Scott Wimmer leading the field to the green flag. But right from the start, Denny Hamlin jumped on Wimmer and grabbed the lead from the No.29, who fell to third place.

Hamlin led the first 37 laps before yielding to Bowyer, who led to the second caution flag at lap 45. Bowyer was still leading when Hamlin, in second, suddenly slowed with a right-front tire puncture. The green stayed out and Hamlin lost three laps, his chance for the win over.

Bowyer's lead was half-a-second after 75 laps and the dark clouds were starting to accumulate in the distance. Harvick, who inherited second place after Hamlin fell off the pace, began to reel Bowyer in. By lap 90 Harvick was right on his "Cup" teammate's rear bumper.

With rain about 15-20 minutes away, Wimmer, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle stayed out when Dario Franchitti spun. Bowyer was the first car out with fuel and four new tires.

By lap 106 Bowyer was back in the lead, with the newest tires and a full tank of fuel. It appeared as he was in complete control of the race if the rains came. His biggest threat was Kahne who was charging through the field. The No.9 Dodge was third at lap 128, behind Bowyer and pole sitter Wimmer. Two laps later Kahne got around Wimmer and closed in on Bowyer.

They were bumper to bumper on lap 135 working their way through lapped traffic. Kahne was trying his favorite high side, while Bowyer was working the bottom of the track. The bottom was the right move and Bowyer rebuilt the lead to four lengths. But back came Kahne.

They passed the halfway point with Bowyer leading Kahne. Still no rain, but it was getting ever closer. Kahne was trying high and low, but the lapped traffic was making his job impossible.

Then the flagman pulled the yellow flag out on lap 163 as the first drops began. They were still making laps and the leaders stayed on the track, while some drivers further back came down pit road.

Finally on lap 171, NASCAR brought out the red flag and pulled the cars onto pit lane.

"I think I should be leading, I should have pressed the issue more," said Kahne, while waiting in his car to get restarted.

The rains let up, then got heavier. NASCAR lost the track and determined that the race could not be restarted.

David Reutimann, Brad Keselowski and Mike Bliss completed the top-five. Points leader Kevin Harvick finished seventh and holds a 49-point lead over Bowyer. However, Harvick is not scheduled to run the next race and will give up his Nationwide Series lead.

The next race in the series is a stand-alone event at the Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday, March 22nd.