CHICAGO — Alex Bowman gained the rain-shortened Chicago Avenue Race, snatching the lead from sports activities automobile ace Joey Hand and holding off Tyler Reddick for the victory.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver ended an 80-race winless streak whereas qualifying for the 2024 Cup Collection playoffs in his No. 48 Chevrolet.
In the course of the cooldown lap after his eighth profession victory, Bowman was knocked into the wall by the No. 23 Toyota of Bubba Wallace, who completed thirteenth after getting punted by Bowman.
The race ended on Lap 58 of a scheduled 75 due to darkness.
“First off, I’ve to apologize once more to the 23 guys,” Bowman advised NBC Sports activities’ Marty Snider. “Simply tousled, making an attempt to get my windshield wiper on, missed a nook and ruined their day. So I hate that. I’m nonetheless embarrassed about it, however now we have a trophy to take residence, and I do know it means lots to this staff. They put me in place to win the race.”
It was the primary victory for Bowman since March 6, 2022 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He would miss 5 races later that season with a mind damage from a crash after which missed three races final yr with a damaged again.
“Man, I broke my again, had a mind damage, and we’ve sort of sucked ever since,” Bowman mentioned. “You begin to second-guess if you happen to’re ever going to get an opportunity to win a race once more.
“Final one we gained, we didn’t actually get to rejoice. We’re going to drink a lot rattling bourbon tonight, it’s going to be a foul deal. I’m most likely going to get up bare on the lavatory flooring once more. That’s simply a part of this deal generally. … It’s going to be a great night time.”
Reddick, whose No. 45 Toyota was on slick tires, charged from thirteenth to second within the final 5 laps however got here up 2.863 seconds in need of Bowman (who was on slick tires) after making a mistake and hitting the wall on the final lap.
“We had been catching Alex by a big margin there, I don’t know, that puzzles me,” Reddick advised NBC Sports activities’ Parker Kligerman. “I clearly simply screwed up. Attempting to remain within the dry groove, and I had greater than sufficient of dry groove, as I’m seeing proper behind you. I minimize the wheel a little bit too onerous.
“Simply not centered sufficient. I knew I used to be going to get to him. I knew the sooner I may get to him the extra choices I used to be going to have. It was going to get a little bit bit extra slick off line past Flip 8. Yeah, simply didn’t even give ourselves a shot to race him, sadly, with that. Hate it. Not what this Jordan Model Toyota Camry is about, that’s not what this staff is about. We’ve obtained to begin capitalizing and getting these wins.”
Alex Bowman turns into the twelfth driver to lock right into a Cup Collection playoff spot this season.
Ty Gibbs completed third, adopted by Hand (the winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans endurance races was in a Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford and Michael McDowell.
Ricky Stenouse Jr., Todd Gillland, William Byron, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney rounded out the highest 10.
Bowman took the lead from Hand with go into Flip 4 on Lap 51 of a race that took greater than 4 hours to finish and ended within the Windy Metropolis nightfall for the second consecutive yr.
A light-weight rain started to fall simply earlier than the inexperienced flag that had been scheduled for 4 p.m. CT.
NASCAR allowed groups to decide on between beginning the race on dry (slick) or moist tires, and a number of other elected for the latter, however these on slicks benefited because the observe remained in comparatively respectable circumstances by way of the tip of Stage 1.
However the rain started to accentuate early in Stage 2, and the downpour pressured NASCAR to throw the pink flag on Lap 26 throughout a warning for a crash by Chase Briscoe because the 12-turn, 2.2-mile format more and more turned unraceable.
The race was stopped for one hour and 43 minutes. NASCAR additionally introduced that if the complete distance wasn’t reached by 8:20 p.m. CT, the subsequent lap can be the white flag.
The Kiwi will probably be unable to repeat after successful in his NASCAR Cup debut a yr in the past.
Kyle Larson began from the pole place however was handed by Gibbs on the opening lap. Larson then was concerned within the race’s first main incident after the pink flag. His No. 5 Chevrolet slammed onerous into the Flip 6 barrier after Larson locked his brakes on the slick observe.
“As quickly as I hit the brakes, it was not slowing down,” Larson mentioned. “It smashed the automobile up fairly good. It’s simply unlucky. I’m bummed. It simply caught me off guard. You push the brake zones a little bit bit extra every lap as you’re getting extra snug, but it surely simply stunned me.”
Prerace favourite Shane van Gisbergen led 9 laps and gained Stage 1 however was eradicated after getting caught in Briscoe’s crash on Lap 25. After successful final yr’s race in his NASCAR Cup Collection debut, van Gisbergen completed final in 12 months 2 of the Chicago Avenue Race.
Stage 1 winner: Shane van Gisbergen
Stage 2 winner: Joey Hand
Notable:
Subsequent: The collection will race July 14 at Pocono Raceway (2:30 p.m. ET on USA)
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