2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400

The 2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 was the tenth stock car race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The event was held on May 3, 2008, before a crowd of 112,000, at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Originally scheduled for 400 laps, Clint Bowyer won the race after a late caution and subsequent green–white–checker finish extended the race to 410 laps.

2008 Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400
Race details
Race 10 of 36 in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season
2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 program cover
2008 Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 program cover
DateMay 3, 2008 (2008-May-03)
Official nameCrown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400
LocationRichmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia
CoursePermanent racing facility
0.75 mi (1.207 km)
Distance410 laps, 307.5 mi (494.873 km)
Scheduled Distance400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
WeatherTemperatures reaching as low as 57 °F (14 °C); wind speeds up to 18.1 miles per hour (29.1 km/h)[1]
Average speed95.786 miles per hour (154.153 km/h)
Pole position
DriverJoe Gibbs Racing
Time21.395
Most laps led
DriverDenny HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing
Laps381
Winner
No. 07Clint BowyerRichard Childress Racing
Television in the United States
NetworkFox Broadcasting Company
AnnouncersMike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds

Summary

The race was telecast on Fox starting at 7:45 pm US EDT, with radio coverage on Sirius Satellite Radio and MRN beginning at 7:30 pm US EDT. The race is named for Columbiana, Ohio resident Dan Lowry, who was the winner of an essay contest sponsored by race sponsor Crown Royal whisky. Clint Bowyer won the race.

Pre-race news

Race

The action came with 48 laps left. While Denny Hamlin who dominated the race, led on a fuel crisis, the caution flew for Casey Mears' crash. The crash involved Michael Waltrip in his self-owned #55 Toyota. The replays showed that Mears accidentally forced Waltrip into scraping across the wall. Then instantly afterwards Michael Waltrip pushed Mears around. These hits on Mears' rear caused him to eventually hit the wall nearly head-on. For the shove Waltrip was parked by NASCAR.

Denny Hamlin led 381 laps until a cut tire and a pit road penalty ended his day. On lap 398, Kyle Busch,spun Dale Earnhardt Jr. into the wall, triggering an enormous amount of controversy over the matter and intense boos from the crowd, as Earnhardt was extremely popular due to his family relations with his famous father Dale Sr. Although many fans felt that Busch intentionally caused the accident, years later on Dirty Mo Radio Earnhardt would later address the incident and state that Busch did not intentionally cause the wreck.[2] He would say that "Even in the moment, I knew that it wasn't [Busch] turning me on purpose." Earnhardt had said that Busch had simply had wanted to get a better run off of the corner, but had gotten loose and spun him. At the next Richmond race, Earnhardt would seem to get payback on Busch, as on lap 212 Earnhardt spun Busch heading into Turn 1.

However, Clint Bowyer surged in front of Busch before the caution flag was thrown. Bowyer was able to hold off Busch and Mark Martin to score his second career cup win, despite leading only two laps. His win was the last one when numbered 07, and his win brought Chevrolet to having the most NASCAR wins in history.

Results

POS[3]ST#DRIVERSPONSOR / OWNERCARLAPSMONEYSTATUSLEDPTS
13107  Clint BowyerBB&T   (Richard Childress)Chevrolet410226550running13190
2718  Kyle BuschPedigree   (Joe Gibbs)Toyota410171100running0170
328  Mark MartinU.S. Army   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet410174108running0165
41520  Tony StewartHome Depot   (Joe Gibbs)Toyota410157911running0160
531  Martin Truex, Jr.Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet410133708running0155
61012  Ryan NewmanAlltel   (Roger Penske)Dodge410137975running0150
71999  Carl EdwardsOffice Depot   (Jack Roush)Ford410131375running0146
81129  Kevin HarvickShell / Pennzoil   (Richard Childress)Chevrolet410125411running0142
92824  Jeff GordonDuPont   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet410126186running0138
1099  Kasey KahneBudweiser   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports)Dodge410113741running0134
113331  Jeff BurtonAT&T Mobility   (Richard Childress)Chevrolet410119658running0130
12541  Reed SorensonTarget   (Chip Ganassi)Dodge410104464running0127
133943  Bobby LabonteSpeed Racer / Cheerios   (Petty Enterprises)Dodge410113011running0124
142316  Greg BiffleDish Network / Dish DVRs   (Jack Roush)Ford41084575running0121
152288  Dale Earnhardt, Jr.National Guard / AMP Energy   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet41083000running15123
163428  Travis KvapilDiscount Tire   (Yates Racing)Ford410101089running0115
17136  David RaganAAA Insurance   (Jack Roush)Ford40980850running0112
181722  Dave BlaneyCaterpillar   (Bill Davis)Toyota40890383running0109
193066  Scott RiggsHaas Automation   (Gene Haas)Chevrolet40888158running0106
20819  Elliott SadlerStanley   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports)Dodge408100470running0103
212601  Regan SmithSteak-umm Burgers   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet40881000running0100
221444  David ReutimannUPS   (Michael Waltrip)Toyota40771275running097
233577  Sam Hornish, Jr.Mobil 1   (Roger Penske)Dodge407113650running094
24111  Denny HamlinFedEx Express   (Joe Gibbs)Toyota407123166running381101
254109  Sterling MarlinMiccosukee Resorts & Gaming   (James Finch)Chevrolet40767975running00
26387  Robby GordonCharter Communications   (Robby Gordon)Dodge40692608running085
274245  Kyle PettyParalyzed Veterans of America   (Petty Enterprises)Dodge40681858running082
283283  Brian VickersRed Bull   (Dietrich Mateschitz)Toyota40670075running079
293678  Joe NemechekFurniture Row Racing   (Barney Visser)Chevrolet40666950running076
301248  Jimmie JohnsonLowe's   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet400121411running073
312515  Paul MenardMenards / Moen   (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.)Chevrolet39777150running070
32642  Juan Pablo MontoyaTexaco / Havoline   (Chip Ganassi)Dodge38994408running067
333770  Johnny SauterHaas Automation   (Gene Haas)Chevrolet37467325running064
344396  J.J. YeleyDLP HDTV   (Jeff Moorad)Toyota36574250running061
352026  Jamie McMurrayCrown Royal   (Jack Roush)Ford36474125crash058
36165  Casey MearsKellogg's / Carquest   (Rick Hendrick)Chevrolet35483975crash055
372755  Michael WaltripNAPA Auto Parts   (Michael Waltrip)Toyota35275397parked052
382417  Matt KensethDeWalt NANO Technology   (Jack Roush)Ford345113366running049
391884  A.J. AllmendingerRed Bull   (Dietrich Mateschitz)Toyota25965600crash151
402900  Michael McDowellAaron's Dream Machine   (Michael Waltrip)Toyota25865475crash043
414038  David GillilandFreeCreditReport.com   (Yates Racing)Ford22965330crash040
42212  Kurt BuschMiller Lite   (Roger Penske)Dodge22965205crash037
43410  Patrick CarpentierLifeLock   (Gillett Evernham Motorsports)Dodge22865471crash034
Failed to qualify
POSNAMENBRSPONSOROWNERCAR
44Ken Schrader40KennametalFelix SabatesDodge
45Scott Wimmer33Camping World / RVs.comRichard ChildressChevrolet
46John Andretti34Long John Silver'sBob JenkinsChevrolet
47Jon Wood21U.S. Air ForceWood BrothersFord

References

Previous race:
2008 Aaron's 499
Sprint Cup Series
2008 season
Next race:
2008 Dodge Challenger 500