KANSAS CITY, Kan. (June 5, 2011) — Clint Bowyer climbed behind the wheel of the No. 2 Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Silverado at his home track, Kansas Speedway, for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250, joining the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team for the third time this season. Bowyer and the No. 2 crew had the truck to beat during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 400th race. Starting from the second position, Bowyer ultimately led the most laps as he drove his way into victory lane to become the first Kansas native to win at Kansas Speedway.
The 167-lap contest was Bowyer’s first Truck Series event at the 1.5-mile track. The driver quickly jumped to the front of the field on the first lap after staring in the second position, but soon radioed the crew letting them know he was fighting a loose-handling truck.
Crew chief Bruce Cook called Bowyer in for his first pit stop on lap 50 under green-flag conditions. The team took four tires, fuel and made an air-pressure adjustment to tighten up the handling of the truck. Bowyer entered pit road leading the race and exited in the 20th position. Back on track, the driver quickly powered the No. 2 Bad Boy Buggies machine towards the front of the field, passing 13 trucks in a single lap.
Once out front, Bowyer informed the No. 2 KHI team that the truck was still a bit free off the corner. During the team’s second pit stop on lap 90, they made another air-pressure adjustment, took four tires and fuel. Bowyer left pit road in the fourth position, but again made his way to the front on lap 109.
The team knew one more pit stop would be necessary as the No. 2 truck could not make it to the end on fuel. Cook called Bowyer to pit road on lap 112 for his final stop of the race taking four fresh tires and fuel. The team knew it was a risky move taking four tires, when everyone was taking two but knew it would pay off in the end. Bowyer and the No. 2 truck exited pit road in the 13th position, but regained the lead on lap 122.
As the No. 2 Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Silverado pulled out front, Cook informed Bowyer that they were one lap short on fuel, so he would need to do all he could to conserve. Bowyer lifted early heading into the turns in an attempt to save fuel. With 30 laps remaining, Bowyer was told to ‘hammer down’ after the team knew he was in a range to make it to the end.
Bowyer continued his lead grabbing the checkers 1.695 seconds in front of the second place finisher. “I had a fast truck in practice and I knew it was a truck capable of winning,” Bowyer said after the race. “Winning in front of family and friends is amazing. I watched this place [Kansas Speedway] being built and always dreamed of being able to race anything here, but going onto victory lane is huge.”
The Truck Series will hit the track next Friday, June 10 for the Winstar World Casino 400K at Texas Motor Speedway. Catch the action live on SPEED at 8:00 p.m. CT.
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