Performance review of Clint Bowyer in 2012 Sprint Cup Series – NASCAR Special
2012 was by far the best year in Clint Bowyer’s racing career in NASCAR Sprint Cup. In 2012, Bowyer made a switch from Richard Childress Racing to Michael Waltrip Racing which proved very fruitful for the 33-year-old Kansas racer. He got 3 Sprint Cup victories
during the 2012 season out of a total of 8 career victories. Bowyer finished the Sprint Cup Series with a career best of 2nd position.
At 2012 Daytona 500, the first race of the season, Bowyer finished 11th with 33 points. On lap 128, he ran out of fuel. The caution flag was raised for the 6th time and ultimately had to go back to the pits to refuel.
At Subway Fresh Fit 500, Bowyer only completed 306 laps, finished 30th. In the third race of the cup, Kobalt Tools 400, he led 3 laps and finished 6th clinching another 39 points. It took Bowyer another 12 races to get a victory when he finally won the Toyota/Save
Mart 350, the 15th race of the cup.
Bowyer finished 16th at Quaker State 400, 29th at Coke Zero 400, and 3rd at Lenox Industrial Tools 301. It was after the 20th race of the cup, the Brickyard 400 that Bowyer appeared on the list of top 10 drivers’ championship standings with 10th place and
643 points.
At Pennsylvania 400, Bowyer finished 8th. After 4 more races, at the Federated Auto Parts 400, Bowyer clinched the second victory of the season. After GEICO 400 where Bowyer finished 10th, he stood 6th on drivers’ championship standings after Kasey Kahne.
He had 2041 points to his name. GEICO 400 also marked the start of the Chase of the Championship.
In 28th race of the season, Sylvania 300, Bowyer finished 4th. With 2081 points to his name, Bowyer still held the 6th standing in drivers’ championship. At AAA 400, he stood 9th.
Although Bowyer had won last two Good Sam Club 500 races, but in 2012 he could not repeat history. He finished a disappointing 23rd this time. Bank of America 500 held at Charlotte Speed Way was won by Bowyer, the 3rd victory for him in the season. With
2186 points, He stood 4th after Charlotte, 13 points behind Denny Hamlin. After Hollywood Casino 400, the points difference between and Bowyer and Hamlin went down to 5 points with Hamlin leading.
Tums Fast Relief 500 made the difference. Hamlin finished 33rd whereas Bowyer finished 5th. This put Bowyer ahead of Hamlin and Bowyer secured the 3rd position on drivers’ championship standings with a lead of 3 points over Kasey Kahne who stood 4th.
In AAA Texas 500, Bowyer consolidated his 3rd position on drivers’ championship standings. He finished the race 6th whereas Kahne finished 25th which gave Bowyer a lead of 22 points.
Things went the ballistic for Bowyer at AdvoCare 500. With only 1 lap to go till the finish, Bowyer got involved in an accident with Jeff Gordon. Gordon intentionally collided with Bowyer in response to a tangle that had taken place between the two a few
laps ago. In the collision, Bowyer cut Gordon’s tire and Gordon had to park behind his team’s hauler. As Gordon parked, a member from Bowyer’s team shoved him from behind starting a full-fledged scuffle. When Bowyer entered the pits to get his car repaired,
his team was nowhere to be found. Bowyer sprinted towards Gordon’s hauler before he was restrained from entering by a NASCAR official.
Following this incident, Bowyer finished 28th in the race. Kahne finished 4th and was able to move up to 2nd position on drivers’ championship standings whereas Bowyer dropped down to 4th. After this incident, Bowyers lost all chances of winning the championship.
Still he was able to regain two places moving up to 2nd on drivers’ championship standings due to a 2nd place finished at Homestead, the final race of the championship.
Thus, a championship that Bowyer could have won only brought a silver medal for him. Still, Bowyer and his team were content with his performance since it was a career best for him.
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