Clint Bowyer drove his Richard Childress Racing (RCR) No. 07 BB&T Chevrolet into victory lane and jumped into the arms of his crew following Saturday night's Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400.

The RCR driver patiently worked his way through the field and had a whole lot of luck on his side as he drove his way to his second career victory and first of the 2008 season.

Bowyer was able to survive a three-lap dash to the checkers, holding off Kyle Busch and Mark Martin, and take home his first career victory at Richmond International Raceway.

"The fastest car doesn't always win," Bowyer said following the event. "That was the case tonight for the BB&T Chevrolet. We were fast all night, but you got to be able to be there for the taking at least and we were close enough to do just that."

The entire complexion of the race changed with just 20 laps to go, when Denny Hamlin radioed his crew and gave them terrible news. After leading every lap except one up to that point (381 of the then 382 laps), despair and frustration were evident in the Virginia-native's voice as he said, "I think I got a flat."

Crew chief Mike Ford tried to calm his driver, reassuring him the tires looked fine, but unfortunately for the hometown favorite the diagnosis was correct. Hamlin began fading fast and lost the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. on lap 383. By lap 392, the right front tire finally gave way and Hamlin parked the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota on the track in Turn 4, bringing out he 10th caution of the day. NASCAR officials held Hamlin on pit road for two laps for deliberately bringing out the caution. He went on to finish 24th, three laps down.

From then on the race was up for grabs with just five laps to go.

"You pretty much see the guy everyone has to beat gone and so then it's a race between everyone else, because everyone else seemed to be equal," Kyle Busch explained of the situation. "You get up on top of the wheel and you try to dig in a little bit harder and try to get a little extra something out of the car."

As the field restarted it appeared to be a shootout between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch. The Junior Nation raised to their feet as they hoped their favorite driver's two-year winless streak was about to come to an end as he led them to the green.

With two laps to go, Busch got a great run off the corner and was able to pull along side Dale Jr. The two cars drag raced down the backstretch and neither driver backed off as they entered Turn 3. The two made contact, sending Earnhardt Jr. spinning backwards into the SAFER barrier, ending his chances at the win.

The incident allowed Bowyer to make his move and put his car out front. As the two cars slid up the track, Bowyer drover underneath and took the lead for the first time in the race. Dodging Coke bottles and beer cans being thrown on the track by so-called fans, Bowyer lined up for the final restart of the race ahead of Busch and Martin, and was able to come home with the victory.

"It was pretty wild out there," Bowyer explained. "[The crash] was bound to happen, I think. I was watching it, Richard [Childress] was on the radio saying it was going to happen, and sure enough it happened.

"They were putting on a show there for a while. I thought so anyway," the race winner continued. "They were racing pretty hard and you know that's what racing at Richmond is all about in my opinion, it just didn't work out. I told the cops, I don't know why they're escorting me in here. I told them they better get over there and escort Kyle Busch out of here."

For Bowyer's crew chief Gil Martin it was important to point out this victory was no fluke. After qualifying 31st, Bowyer was forced to work his way through traffic all day long.

"A lot of people might say we backed into that win," Martin explained. "We were coming all night long and we just had to get track position. Once we got up there in clean air with everybody, I think we could run with them there at different stages of the run."

This win bumped Clint Bowyer three spots in the series standings, putting him fourth, just 123 points behind leader Kyle Busch. Heading into Darlington next week, Bowyer and the entire RCR organization have to be confident. Last year the 28-year-old earned his first career pole award and finished in the top-10 at the Lady In Black.

"It doesn't matter what you do in life," Bowyer pointed out, "If you have confidence and a little momentum on your side then the sky is the limit."