Bowman’s A Winner In First ARCA Start
Alex Bowman takes the checkered flag to win in his first ARCA Racing Series start Friday night at Madison (Wis.) Int'l Speedway. (ARCA photo)
OREGON, Wis. — Charging to the finish line in his ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards debut, Alex Bowman drove his Venturini Motorsports Toyota away from four close pursuers in a three-lap shootout to win Friday’s Herr’s Live Life with Flavor! 200 at Madison Int’l Speedway.
The race was the first for ARCA at the southern Wisconsin half-mile since 1973, and Bowman and 32 other competitors provided a show worth the wait.
Bowman led by nearly a full second with under 10 laps to go and appeared to be coasting to a win, but following a lap-194 spin by a lapped car, he had to get back into line for a final green flag ahead of four drivers — Chris Buescher, Venturini teammate Clint King, point-leader Ty Dillon and Tom Hessert.
Bowman seemed to spin his tires as he began lap 198 under the green flag, but beat an inside move by Buescher to turns one and two. Dillon attacked King, but the top five drivers kept their positions as Bowman took a 0.275-second lead into lap 199 and a similar lead to the white flag.
Buescher aimed for position in turn two on the final lap, but could not pass Bowman, leaving the debut driver from Arizona only two clean turns away from his first ARCA win. Bowman, who currently sits fifth in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and leads that series’ rookie chase, joined Venturini driver Brennan Poole — who also drove the No. 55 to a win — and Andrew Ranger as drivers to win in their first ARCA starts this season.
In holding off the other contenders, Bowman completed a race-ending run in which he led the final 59 laps.
“I can’t believe it, to be honest with you,” Bowman said. “I knew we were going to have a shot here with Venturini Motorsports. They put a really good car together. To bring home the win is pretty special.”
Having held such a sizable advantage, Bowman understandably did not want to see the field bunched up again for the final laps.
“I kind of knew what to expect a little bit, but I was kind of shocked to see how many cautions there were,” he said. “I really didn’t want to see that caution there at the end when we had a little bit of a cushion on the 17 car (Buescher). Man, I don’t know what to say. I’m just so excited.”
Though Bowman took the top honors at night’s end, King made himself the Venturini driver to watch in Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell earlier in the day. King qualified first and led the field to the start/finish line on his 16th birthday, his first possible day of ARCA Racing Series eligibility.
King finished third and Dillon fought his way back to fourth after a pit penalty. Hessert ended his day in the top five for the fourth consecutive race.
The race finished in one hour, 42 minutes, and 50 seconds, at an average speed of 58.344 mph. The 13 caution flags slowed the race for a total of 73 laps.
Short URL: http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/?p=37238
Posted by NSSN Staff
on Aug 27 2011 Filed under ARCA, Latest Headlines, Stock Cars, Top Stories.
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