Clint Bowyer (15) during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Autostock, Nigel Kinrade)CONCORD, N.C. – The top title contenders ran 1-2-3 for a bit at Charlotte Motor Speedway, setting it up to separate themselves from the rest of the championship field.
Then Brad Keselowski ran out of gas for the second night in a row, and Clint Bowyer was there to capitalize.
The Chase for the Sprint Cup championship got a whole lot tighter Saturday night. Bowyer’s victory, his first of the Chase and career-best third of the season, pushed him into what could be a four-man title picture. He jumped up to fourth in the standings, 28 points behind leader Keselowski at the halfway point of the 10-race Chase.
“Five races left, and we’re still in contention for a championship,” Bowyer said.
In part because it was a disastrous night for Keselowski.