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Clint Bowyer snaps 190-race winless streak, wins STP 500 at Martinsville

By Nick Tylwalk

MARTINSVILLE, VA - MARCH 26: Clint Bowyer drives the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford during the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
MARTINSVILLE, VA - MARCH 26: Clint Bowyer drives the #14 Haas Automation Demo Day Ford during the weather delayed Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, 2018 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images) /
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Clint Bowyer may have forgotten the way to Victory Lane after going more than five seasons without a Cup Series win, but his perseverance paid off at Martinsville.

When Clint Bowyer hooked up with Stewart-Haas Racing before the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, it was seen as something of a new lease on life after Michael Waltrip Racing disintegrated and a frustrating year at HScott Motorsports. On Monday at the STP 500, Bowyer’s patience and determination paid off in the best possible way.

Bowyer passed Ryan Blaney for the lead early in the final stage at Martinsville Speedway, and he was never seriously challenged after that, taking the checkered flag for the first time since October 2012. The win snapped a 190-race winless streak for Bowyer while also making him the first driver to win a Cup Series race in all three current manufacturers (Chevrolet, Toytota and Ford).

Kyle Busch had the best shot at preventing what will be a popular win, but he never got closer than about seven tenths of a second in the closing laps. Bowyer was able to navigate a crowded field of lapped traffic before beginning his burnout without even completely slowing down, something that astounded Jeff Gordon in the Fox Sports broadcast booth.

The emotion that inspired that early burnout was clear in Victory Lane.

“It’s just a weight off the shoulders, man,” Bowyer said in his post-race TV interview.” It’s been a long time. You start to question if you can get it done or not. To have it come at this place, I’m telling you, it meant a lot.”

Two other drivers dominated the early proceedings in a race that was free of the kind of chaos that sometimes reigns at Martinsville. Denny Hamlin won Stage 1 after passing teammate and race runner-up Kyle Busch and pretty easily cruising from there. But it was Blaney who showed the way for the majority of Stage 2, leading over 100 laps in the middle portion of the race.

His adjustments, however, made his car worse as Bowyer was getting better. If the rest of the Cup Series garage wasn’t already on notice for how strong Stewart-Haas Racing is after Kevin Harvick won three straight races this season, it certainly should be now that another of the team’s drivers has grabbed a win.

Next: STP 500: More highlights, stage results from Martinsville

2018 STP 500 results from Martinsville Speedway

  1. Clint Bowyer
  2. Kyle Busch
  3. Ryan Blaney (Stage 2 winner)
  4. Martin Truex Jr.
  5. Kevin Harvick
  6. Joey Logano
  7. Alex Bowman
  8. AJ Allmendinger
  9. Chase Elliott
  10. Brad Keselowski
  11. Kurt Busch
  12. Denny Hamlin (Stage 1 winner)
  13. Paul Menard
  14. Aric Almirola
  15. Jimmie Johnson
  16. Kyle Larson
  17. Erik Jones
  18. Daniel Suarez
  19. Ryan Newman
  20. William Byron
  21. Michael McDowell
  22. Ty Dillon
  23. Chris Buescher
  24. Kasey Kahne
  25. David Ragan
  26. Jamie McMurray
  27. Cole Whitt
  28. D.J. Kennington
  29. Ross Chastain
  30. Austin Dillon
  31. JJ Yeley
  32. Matt DiBenedetto
  33. Trevor Bayne
  34. Bubba Wallace
  35. Harrison Rhodes
  36. Gray Gaulding
  37. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  38. Landon Cassill
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