BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kasey Kahne had his chance, but with rain on the way and Clint Bowyer in front of him, he knew he had to make his move.
When Kahne’s Dodge was behind some lapped cars, he was blocked in and missed his opportunity to pass Bowyer’s Chevrolet.
When rain started to fall a lap later, the race was stopped and later called official with Bowyer winning Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Sharpie Mini 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“It feels awesome,” Bowyer said. “I’ll take it any way you can get it.
“Kahne had the best car, but the best car doesn’t always win.”

WATCHING THE RAIN: Team owner Richard Childress and driver Clint Bowyer take shelter from the rain Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. (HHP/Alan Marler Photo)

After a two-hour rain delay, the race restarted under sunshine, but the grey clouds quickly moved in to hasten the pace of the race as the field had to get to lap 150, making it a race between the clouds and the rain, as much as the competition.
Bowyer was in front at the halfway point as the field continued to rip through the laps.
The yellow flag waved for rain just 13 laps past halfway as Kahne was stalking Bowyer’s Chevrolet. The track dryers were brought out onto the concrete surface as race officials tried to keep from losing the track.
The red flag was displayed and the cars were parked on pit road after 171 laps.
A few moments later, Kahne climbed from his Dodge and dejectedly walked back to his transporter, believing he had one chance and didn’t capitalize.
“We all knew going into the race that the weather was coming, and there was sprinkles on the car about 25 laps before it actually got here, so I knew it was close,” Kahne said. “That’s when I was trying everything I could to get by him without running through him. There was plenty of opportunity to get by him if I wanted to force the issue.”
By not forcing the issue, Kahne was  left lamenting what might have been after NASCAR officials finally called the race.
David Reutimann was third in a Toyota, followed by Brad Keselowski’s Chevrolet and Mike Bliss in a Dodge.
Making it just past halfway, the call ended a long day of dodging rain for both the Nationwide and Cup Series. While Cup has next weekend off, Nationwide teams head to Nashville for a race Saturday.