Bowyer revels in success

Clint Bowyer: Celebrates finishing first at Sonoma on Sunday

Michael Waltrip Racing's Clint Bowyer was full of pride after claiming the chequered flag in Sunday's NASCAR race at Sonoma.

The 33-year-old dominated by leading 71 of the 112 laps, although Kurt Busch was pushing hard late on after a caution with four laps remaining set up a final restart and overtime finish.

Tony Stewart passed Busch on the final lap to claim second while Brian Vickers was fourth for MWR, followed by Hendrick Motorsports team-mates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in fifth and sixth respectively.

"I saw Jeff Gordon, he's sitting there on the wall, he's won this race many times, he's a champion of this sport and I just beat him."
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Bowyer, who left Richard Childress Racing at the end of last season to join MWR, had to walk to Victory Lane to celebrate with his new crew after his car ran out of fuel.

Success

The success was all the more sweeter considering Bowyer's dirt track background, a field that included the likes of four-time champion Gordon.

"To have this dirt boy from Kansas at Victory Lane on a road course is big, trust me," explained Bowyer.

"I saw Jeff Gordon, he's sitting there on the wall, he's won this race many times, he's a champion of this sport and I just beat him.

"I passed Jeff Gordon, and you have no idea, a young racer from Kansas, you don't forget stuff like that."

Greg Biffle was seventh, followed by Marcos Ambrose, who started the race in pole, AJ Allmendinger and Joey Logano.