Clint Bowyer went into Phoenix with a small chance of still being able to win the Sprint Cup Series Championship… but instead left being completely out of contention, -52 points behind leader Brad Keselowski in fourth place. Bowyer finished the race in 28th position.
Jeff Gordon and Bowyer got into it during Sunday’s AdvoCare500 at Phoenix International Raceway on lap 305. No caution was called. A few moments later, Bowyer was being warned that Gordon was still on the track and was waiting for him.
“Next thing I know Brett (Griffin) is telling me on the radio that he’s waiting on me. It makes us all look like a bunch of retards. It’s pretty embarrassing for a four-time champion and what I consider one of the best the sport’s ever seen to act like that, it’s completely ridiculous.” Bowyer said.
Within seconds Gordon made good on his promise and turned into Bowyer – intentionally retaliating on the move that Bowyer made just a few laps prior. The move destroyed both cars and also collected innocent bystanders Joey Logano and Aric Almirola.
“That was my opportunity to get myself back into the championship hunt,” Bowyer said. “When you disrupt a championship hunt like that, it’s too bad. They ask us not to do that at the drivers meeting and there’s usually a lot of respect there. It’s crazy. I didn’t even need to pass him.”
On pit road the #24 and #15 pit crews fought – after that fight was broken up, Bowyer went sprinting to the #24 hauler to meet up with Gordon himself to have his own retaliation.
Gordon spent nearly an hour in the hauler – when he came out he was asked if he was concerned with any penalties he might receive. ”They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do and I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do,” Gordon replied.
Both drivers were in the hauler together, when Bowyer was asked if he talked to Gordon he said, “It’s pretty soon to be talking to him.”
Logano tweeted after the race, When I was young I thought @JeffGordonWeb was the best driver. Now I’ve lost a lot of respect for him. #verydumb
Keselowski had his own opinion – and it got a little…expletive.
“It’s the double standard that I spent a whole week being bashed by a half-dozen drivers about racing hard at Texas and how I’m out of control and have a death wish, and then I see [expletive] like that,” Keselowski said. “That’s [expletive]. That’s all you can call that. These guys just tried to kill each other.
“You race hard and I get called an [expletive] for racing hard and [they] called [it] a death wish and I see [expletive] like that and it just [expletive] me off. … It’s just [expletive] ridiculous, and they should be ashamed. It’s embarrassing.”
Next weekend Bowyer goes into Homestead-Miami Speedway to try and salvage whats left in his season, ”It’s over with and done. Have to go to Homestead and I’ve got to try to beat the 5 car.” Bowyer said.
