Phoenix II: Clint Bowyer race report

Bowyer Rebounds from Early Spin to Finish Fourth at Phoenix

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Clint Bowyer and the No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express team bounced back from an early spin to post a fourth-place finish in Saturday's Able Body Labor 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.

The solid performance allows the Richard Childress Racing team to remain fifth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series owners' point standings with one race remaining in the 2009 season. The No. 29 team sits 84 markers in arrears of the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. entry in fourth, and 69 points forward of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing entry in sixth.

Bowyer began the weekend by posting the 11th-fastest times in Friday's dual practice sessions. The reigning NNS champion improved on his speed Saturday morning, posting the fifth-fastest time during qualifying.

Later that afternoon, sunny skies and hot temperatures greeted the estimated 35,000 race fans on hand at the one-mile desert oval. Eight laps into the 200-lap race, the No. 29 team's day seemed to take a turn for the worse.

Kyle Busch lost control of his No. 18 machine exiting Turn 2 and spun out directly in front of Bowyer's No. 29 Chevrolet. The seven-time NNS winner reacted quickly enough to avoid making contact with Busch, but spun himself out in the process. The near miss dropped the 30-year old driver to 34th.

After the Holiday Inn over-the-wall crew bolted on four fresh tires while under caution, racing resumed on lap 12. Bowyer showed his never-quit attitude as he picked off 20 positions in 10 laps. He continued to march forward, moving into fourth by the race's halfway mark.

Bowyer raced between the fifth and third positions over the final 100 laps, but was unable to advance any further. He dropped to fourth on lap 182 and maintained that position until the checkered flag waved.

Carl Edwards scored his fifth NNS win of the season, beating Kevin Harvick to the finish line by 2.415 seconds. Reed Sorenson finished third, Bowyer was fourth and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top-five finishers.

Next weekend, NASCAR's junior circuit will close out of the 2009 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Clint Bowyer: "Our Holiday Inn Chevrolet was strong today. We were almost collected when Kyle (Busch) spun in front of me and I had no choice but to spin myself out to avoid hitting him. Even though that set us back early on, we were able to battle back to come home fourth."

-credit: rcr