Nascar – Bowyer will soon be able to focus on winning

En décrochant un nouveau top cinq le week-end dernier au Coke Zero 400, son septième cette année et son troisième consécutif, Clint Bowyer se retrouve en deuxième place du Championnat à 49 points du leader Jimmie Johnson qu’il avait surpassé lors de la finale à Miami-Homestead l’an dernier pour le titre honorifique de vice-champion. A huit épreuves du début du Chase, le pilote de la Toyota n°15 est quasiment assuré d’être dans la lutte pour le sacre en fin d’année. Néanmoins, ce dernier ne compte toujours aucune victoire, son meilleur résultat de la saison étant une deuxième place acquise à Martinsville et Richmond.

His crew chief Brian Pattie, who has worked with Clint Bowyer for two years, is enthusiastic about his pilot's promising results. However, the prospect of the No. 15 Camry crashing prevents him from rejoicing. “Second place puts us in a good position. The most important thing is to be 116 points ahead of 11th place, that helps us a lot. But just look at the case of #5 (Kasey Kahne, currently 12th after losing 5 places last weekend) from Dover. She lost almost 70 points in just three weeks. I don't want this to happen to us. »

Brian Pattie is looking forward to Clint Bowyer's lead securing a spot in the Chase so he can focus on winning. Although the No. 15 Toyota has not yet won this season, Jimmie Johnson has four successes to his credit (performance matched only by Matt Kenseth). “If we keep the pace we have now and secure a place (in the Chase) at Bristol, that would be really exciting for us. We can then focus on winning. »