Bowyer wins race, Gordon beats Busch for Chase

By Jenna Fryer

Associated Press

Published: Saturday, Sept. 8 2012 11:40 p.m. MDT

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Cars for Kyle Busch (18) and Matt Kenseth (17) are covered during a rain delay at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012.

Jason Hirschfeld, Associated Press

Summary

Clint Bowyer won the rain-delayed race at Richmond, and Jeff Gordon drove his way into the title picture by grabbing the last wild-card berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

RICHMOND, Va. — Clint Bowyer won the rain-delayed race at Richmond, and Jeff Gordon drove his way into the title picture by grabbing the last wild-card berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Bowyer came back from a mid-race spin to pick up his second win of the season. The Saturday night victory gave the Michael Waltrip Racing driver another three bonus points to take into the Chase.

But the night belonged to Gordon, who struggled most of the race but pulled off a big-time rally to beat Kyle Busch by three points for the final spot in the 12-driver Chase field.

The complexion of the race changed dramatically after the third and final rain delay. Busch had a firm grasp on the wild-card spot until that last shower.

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