Bowman wins as tension builds ahead of NASCAR title race
Alex Bowman was the only driver celebrating after the NASCAR Cup Series set its final four — and he’s not even racing for the title.
Bowman picked up the win Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in the final elimination race ahead of the winner-take-all season finale. Bowman wasn’t eligible to make the championship round, and his overtime victory denied Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski the final spot in the field.
The Cup will be decided next Sunday at sold-out Phoenix Raceway between title favorite Kyle Larson and reigning champion Chase Elliott for Hendrick Motorsports and Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. for Joe Gibbs Racing. It will pit a pair of Hendrick Chevrolets against two JGR Toyotas.
“I think the four most deserving teams are probably in the final four,” said Larson, the regular-season champion.
Ford was locked out of the championship when Keselowski and Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano failed to advance.
Busch finished second to Bowman, and Keselowski settled for third. Truex’s car was damaged in several incidents.
Keselowski and Busch had hard contact after the checkered flag that caused Busch to spin on the cooldown lap, and Busch seethed afterward that he should beat up Keselowski.
It was a milder approach than the one taken by JGR teammate Hamlin after Bowman spun Hamlin from the lead with six laps left to send the race into overtime.
Hamlin had led 103 laps with victory in sight when Bowman spun him. After the race, Hamlin drove his car to the front stretch and parked in front of Bowman to prevent Bowman from a proper celebration on Bowman’s fourth win of the season.
NHRA
Steve Torrence raced to his 10th top fuel victory of the season and 50th overall at the Dodge//SRT NHRA Nationals to move closer to his fourth straight title.
Torrence beat Mike Silinas in the final with a 3.717second run at 329.50 mph at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He has a 105point lead with one race left at Pomona in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Cruz Pedregon won in funny car, Dallas Glenn in pro stock and Steve Johnson in pro stock motorcycle.