tool name
closeNotes | Bowyer the Nashville bridesmaid again
The Associated Press
Saturday, Mar. 22, 2008
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. – One streak came to an end and another was extended in the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ Pepsi 300 on Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway.
Clint Bowyer, who took over the series lead, posted his fourth-consecutive runner-up finish at NSS while Carl Edwards saw his 3-race win streak over the 1.3-mile concrete oval come to an end.
Bowyer took over the series lead form Kevin Harvick, a Sprint Cup regular who skipped the race. Bowyer leads Edwards by 11 points heading into the next Nationwide race on April 5 at Texas Motor Speedway.
“Yep, I pretty much got it wrapped up,” Bowyer said after taking over the series lead. “Everybody knows, at least as far as I’m concerned, who are going to be the cars to beat. This guy sitting next to me (Carl Edwards) will certainly be there.
“I don’t think it will be who wins the most races. It will come down to who makes the fewest mistakes.“’
FAMILIAR FACES AT TOP: Most of the top finishers in the Pepsi 300 know their way around Nashville Superspeedway.
Scott Wimmer posted his seventh top-10 finish in eight starts at NSS. Bowyer has never finished worse than fifth in eight starts and Edwards has six consecutive top-fives at NSS.
David Reutimann, who finished ninth, has won a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at NSS.
DRIVER ERROR: Sprint Cup points leader Kyle Busch led a race-high 125 laps, but a lapse in judgment cost him a chance to win.
Busch got loose while trying to hold off Bowyer coming out of turn four on lap 164. Busch went into a spin and grazed Bowyer’s car before slicing through infield. The incident damaged Busch’s left front and forced him to pit.
“It was just driver error,” said Busch. “I just messed up and lost it. I’m sure it’s going to bother me all week.” Busch finished 16th.
CUP STARS UP FRONT: Four of the six full-time Sprint Cup drivers in the Pepsi 300 finished in the top 10.
In addition to Bowyer and Edwards, Denny Hamlin finished seventh and Reutimann finished ninth. Busch was 16th, while David Ragan finished 21st.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS: Nashville’s Bobby Hamilton Jr. finished 10th, the best showing among Tennessee drivers.
Sterling Marlin (Columbia) was 24th in his first start of the year for owner James Finch.
Brad Baker (Franklin) was 28th. Willie Allen (Nashville) finished 34th, and Brad Teague (Johnson City) finished 41st.
VETERANS STRUGGLE: A couple of NASCAR Cup veterans never got up to speed.
Morgan Shepherd dropped out after 54 laps, while 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope exited after 38 laps with transmission trouble and finished 40th.
GALE TOPS ROOKIES: Cale Gale of Mobile, Ala., finished eighth – the best showing among four rookies in the Pepsi 300 lineup.
“This was my fourth start at Nashville and it was a good day,” said Gale. “It’s difficult running a partial schedule and not being able to run every week. It takes a while to get going. But it’s my first top 10 in the Nationwide Series, so I’m real happy about that.”
