On a wet-and-dry day on the streets of Chicago, crew chief Blake Harris made the proper name, and driver Alex Bowman promised to moist his whistle after ending an 80-race drought.
“The final time we received, we didn’t actually get to rejoice—we’re going to drink a lot…bourbon tonight,” mentioned Bowman, who clinched a spot within the NASCAR Cup Collection Playoffs together with his victory in Sunday’s Grant Park 165 on the Chicago Avenue Race.
“It’s going to be a nasty deal. I’m in all probability going to get up bare on the toilet ground once more. That’s simply a part of this deal generally.”
Driving the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Bowman claimed the eighth victory of his profession with a go of sports activities automobile ace Joey Hand on lap 51—moments earlier than Josh Berry plowed into the tire barrier in Flip 2 of the two.2-mile, 12-turn course to trigger the fifth and last warning.
ALEX BOWMAN TO THE LEAD!
LESS THAN 10 MINUTES REMAIN ON NBC AND PEACOCK. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/Ijt2wT1unG
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 8, 2024
At that time, the race was on the clock, due to a heavy rain that had prompted a prolonged stoppage after lap 25. Going through a deadline of 8:20 p.m., with two laps to observe that time within the race, Bowman held off runner-up Tyler Reddick to win an occasion shortened from 75 to 58 laps due to the delay.
Harris acquired his first win as a crew chief by maintaining Bowman out on older moist tires after the ultimate warning. Neither Christopher Bell, who arguably had the most effective automobile within the race, nor Reddick may catch Bowman over the closing laps.
Bell’s cost to the entrance was blunted by a five-car melee, and Reddick nicked the wall and misplaced momentum on the ultimate lap.
“We had been catching Alex by a big margin there, and, I don’t know, that puzzles me,” mentioned Reddick, who completed second for the second straight week. “I clearly simply screwed up. Attempting to remain within the dry groove, and I had greater than sufficient of dry groove… I lower the wheel just a little too arduous.”
Bowman crossed the end line with a 3.447s edge over Reddick to attain his first win since March 6, 2022 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“Man, I broke my again (in a dash automobile accident), had a mind damage, and we’ve type of sucked ever since,” Bowman mentioned. “I didn’t… you begin to second-guess should you’re ever going to get an opportunity to win a race once more.”
Enhancing Bowman’s alternative on Sunday was the ailing fortune that befell the highest two contenders.
Midway by the restart lap for Stage 2 (lap 25), the complexion of the race modified dramatically. Chase Briscoe, uncontrolled in his No. 14 Ford, slid towards the tire barrier in Flip 6 and clipped the rear of the Chevrolet of defending winner Shane van Gisbergen.
The impression propelled van Gisbergen’s Camaro nose-first into the skin wall on the exit from the nook, and the automobile got here to relaxation, unable to proceed. Van Gisbergen’s exit instantly raised the stakes for the drivers who trailed him to the end line in Stage 1.
After leaving the infield care heart, van Gisbergen watched a replay of the incident.
“Simply type of turned in, regarded fairly good after which simply acquired smashed by somebody (Briscoe),” the New Zealander mentioned. “Simply gutting. The automobile was actually good. We had been within the lead for lots of that race and, you realize, felt good taking off within the rain. That sucks—an unlucky mistake by him, however I’m positive he didn’t imply it.
“However, yeah, when he simply clipped me, there was nothing I may do. In fact I’m upset. We had a fairly wonderful Camaro there… I felt like I used to be driving properly inside myself. It’s a disgrace to be out so early and a disgrace we couldn’t have a correct crack at it on the finish.”
By the point Briscoe delivered the coup de grace to the No. 16 Chevy, Gibbs had wrested the lead from Zane Smith, who stayed out on older moist tires, and Bell, who was first off pit highway in the course of the stage break.
The sector didn’t full lap 25 earlier than NASCAR referred to as the second warning of the race for heavy rain. After a red-flag interval of 1h43m, the race resumed and went inexperienced on lap 31, with Bell retaking the lead from Gibbs earlier than completion of that circuit.
On lap 34, pole winner Kyle Larson, in pursuit of Gibbs, hydroplaned into the Flip 6 tire barrier, damaging his No. 5 Chevrolet past restore.
In a race the place late strategic calls scrambled the sector, Gibbs led a race-high 17 laps and got here residence third, adopted by Hand and Michael McDowell. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Todd Gilliland, William Byron, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney accomplished the highest 10.
Bell led 14 circuits, however he, Gibbs and Reddick pitted for slick tires on lap 43 and couldn’t get again to the entrance.
For the second straight yr, rain shortened the NASCAR Cup race on the Chicago Avenue Race, however the moist climate did little to decrease the competition ambiance that captivated the Windy Metropolis all through the weekend.
“I’ve raced about each avenue course within the nation and quite a bit world wide, and also you received’t discover a backdrop like this,” mentioned Hand, who led seven laps on moist tires earlier than Bowman led the ultimate eight.
