| | | | | | NICE JOB | Saving brakes helps Bowyer to unlikely second-place finish | |
| | By SceneDaily Staff AVONDALE, AZ -- Clint Bowyer was trying to conserve his brakes in the latter stages of the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, and that in turn helped him save fuel – which led to a second-place finish Saturday night.
Bowyer said he had a car capable of finishing in the top 10, but crew chief Gil Martin decided to keep the No. 07 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet on the track while other frontrunners pitted for fuel.
“Things worked out,” Bowyer said. “We were kind of conserving brakes there in that last run, backing the corners up, backing the corners up, which in turn saved fuel. About halfway through that run, could you tell it might go all the way that we were strung out that far.
“Gil said to save as much gas as you can. I did. He told me we were only three laps shy of making it before that run started. I don't think I was near as worried about it as he was. I knew how much I was saving out there. I was pretty sure I saved enough.”
At the checkered flag, only Jimmie Johnson was ahead of Bowyer.
“You never know for sure,” Bowyer said of having enough fuel. “[Gil] told me we were only three laps shy of making it before that run. We got stretched out there, and there really wasn't anybody pressuring from behind. I was able to conserve, conserve, conserve. It just paid off.”
| | Posted April 14, 2008 , 10:32 pm EST
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