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CLINT BOWYER – 2017 Dover I Race Report

Event:               AAA 400 Drive for Autism (Round 13 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Dover (Del.) International Speedway (1-mile, concrete oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (120 laps/120 laps/160 laps)
Start/Finish:      22nd/31st (Running, completed 391 of 406 laps)
Point Standing: 10th (349 points, 196 out of first) 

Race Winner:    Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports in overtime (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)

Stage 2 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-120):

  • Started 22nd, finished 36th.
  • Bowyer began moving up through the field, but noted that his car was tight on the throttle and loose into the corners.
  • Bowyer ran as high as fourth until lap 97 when his Haas Automation crew noticed a mechanical issue while Bowyer was pitting under caution.
  • Bowyer brought his Ford Fusion to the garage for repairs, putting him18 laps down.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 121-240):

  • Started 36th, finished 36th.
  • After a lap-195 caution, Bowyer earned one lap to run only 17 laps down.
  • Bowyer earned back another lap to run only 16 laps down at the conclusion of the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 241-400):

  • Started 36th, finished 31st.
  • Bowyer ran in and around the middle of the field throughout the final stage.
  • Bowyer earned one more lap back to run only 15 laps down at the conclusion of the race.

Notes:              

  • The race finished in overtime, going six laps past its scheduled 400-lap distance.
  • There were 15 caution periods for a total of 72 laps, including the final lap.
  • Only 14 drivers in the 39-car field finished on the lead lap.
  • Jimmie Johnson won the AAA 400 Drive for Autism to score his 83rd career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory, tying NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough for sixth on the all-time series win list. It was also Johnson’s third win of the season and his 11th at Dover.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:           

“The guys worked their tails off this week on our Haas Automation Ford. We were a force to be reckoned with. We started 22nd and moved our way up to the top-five. We were doing great and exactly what we needed to do to get stage points. If we keep doing that and working together as a team, we’ll get back up there where we need to be.”

Next Up:          

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Pocono 400 on Sunday, June 11 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.