Bowyer Wins Rain-Shortened Michigan Race

Originally written for CLNS Media.

Clint Bowyer won the rain-shortened FireKeepers Casino 400 from Michigan International Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Rain delayed the start of the race on Sunday by over two hours, and it threatened the track throughout the race.  The rain finally arrived and ended the race on lap 133 of 200 while Bowyer was out front.

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Bowyer’s team used pit strategy to get to the front, taking only two tires on the final pit stop while the rest of the field took four tires.

Bowyer said he was nervous when he was the only driver to take two tires.

“When he said two tires…I don’t know,” Bowyer said.  “Especially when I looked in the mirror and everyone else took four.  When you come out that far ahead of everybody else, you know you’re on a mission for a gamble.”

On the final restart, Bowyer had to hold off his teammate Kevin Harvick, who had led the most laps throughout the race.  Bowyer said he knew holding off Harvick would be a challenge.

“Being on the same tires with Kevin on a restart, you know what you’re up against,” Bowyer said.  “He was so much faster than me in 1 and 2.  I got down to 3 and 4 and I had to chop him off and take his line away.”

Harvick said he was surprised Bowyer’s car was so fast with just two fresh tires.

“Clint had a good restart,” Harvick said.  “I hadn’t restarted against a car that was as good as his and just a foot from clearing him there.”

“If you’re going to lose one in the rain and give it away, you might want to give it to your teammate.”

Unofficial results:

1. Clint Bowyer

2. Kevin Harvick

3. Kurt Busch

4. Kyle Busch

5. Paul Menard

6. Brad Keselowski

7. Joey Logano

8. Ryan Blaney

9. Chase Elliott

10. Jamie McMurray

11. Aric Almirola

12. Denny Hamlin

13. William Byron

14. Austin Dillon

15. Erik Jones

16. Alex Bowman

17. AJ Allmendinger

18. Martin Truex Jr.

19. Darrell Wallace Jr.

20. Jimmie Johnson

21. Ty Dillon

22. Ryan Newman

23. Kasey Kahne

24. Chris Buescher

25. Michael McDowell

26. Ross Chastain

27. Corey LaJoie

28. Kyle Larson

29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

30. Daniel Suarez

31. Gray Gaulding

32. Landon Cassill

33. Matt Kenseth

34. DJ Kennington

35. Timmy Hill

36. Matt DiBenedetto

37. BJ McLeod

38. David Ragan

39. Garrett Smithley

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