NASCAR Driver Clint Bowyer Can Thank Rain and Tires for Win at Michigan

Conquering weather-shortened races is becoming familiar territory for the NASCAR driver.

byT. Walker|
NASCAR Driver Clint Bowyer Can Thank Rain and Tires for Win at Michigan
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The weather was a challenge for NASCAR drivers before the kickoff of the FireKeepers Casino 400 race at Michigan International Speedway. Ryan Blaney won Stage 1 of the race and Kevin Harvick Stage 2, but the race belonged to Clint Bowyer. Thanks to a gutsy call by Bowyer's crew chief on lap 133 of the scheduled 200 laps, he won the rain-shortened race. Bowyer was the leader on the last lap when NASCAR ended the race early.

“When he said, ‘two tires,’ I was like, ‘I dunno,’ especially when you look in your mirror and everyone else is taking four,” Bowyer said when discussing his crew chief’s race-winning pit strategy. Aside from Bowyer's win, the top storylines from the FireKeepers Casino 400 included the Stewart-Haas Racing team finishing in the top three positions and Ford’s domination.

BROOKLYN, MI - JUNE 10: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Haas 30 Years of the VF1 Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 10, 2018 in Brooklyn, Michigan., Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Seven of the top eight race finishers were behind the wheel of a Ford Fusion including Bowyer, who secured his second win of the season. His Stewart-Haas teammates rounded out the top three. Kevin Harvick was the runner-up and Kurt Busch, the race pole sitter, finished third. Ford has won eight of the 15 races this season. Bowyer's other race win came at Martinsville earlier in the season which was a weather-delayed race.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway Results

(Position Finished, Driver, Manufacturer, Laps Completed, Laps Led)

1. Clint Bowyer, Ford, 133, led 8

2. Kevin Harvick, Ford, 133, led 49

3. Kurt Busch, Ford, 133, led 46

4. Kyle Busch, Toyota, 133

5. Paul Menard, Ford, 133, led 3

6. Brad Keselowski, Ford, 133

7. Joey Logano, Ford, 133

8. Ryan Blaney, Ford, 133, led 15

9. Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 133

10. Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 133

11. Aric Almirola, Ford, 133

12. Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 133

13. William Byron, Chevrolet, 133

14. Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 133

15. Erik Jones, Toyota, 133

16. Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 133

17. AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 133

18. Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 133

19. Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, 133

20. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 133

21. Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 133

22. Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 133

23. Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 133, led 11

24. Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 133

25. Michael McDowell, Ford, 133

26. Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 133

27. Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 133

28. Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 133, led 1

29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 133

30. Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 132

31. Gray Gaulding, Toyota, 132

32. Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 132

33. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 132

34. D.J. Kennington, Chevrolet, 132

35. Timmy Hill, Toyota, 132

36. Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 131

37. B.J. McLeod, Chevrolet, 131

38. David Ragan, Ford, 35, Accident

39. Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 1, Transmission

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is taking a much-needed break. The Series will take a week off for Father’s Day and return the following week in Sonoma, California for the Toyota / Save Mart 350. NASCAR Cup drivers will have two weeks to prepare for the first road course race of the season. Qualifying for the race will take place Saturday, June 23 at 11:45 a.m. ET. The green flag for the 110 lap Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway will drop on Sunday, June 24 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

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