But even with limited green flag running Bowyer was able to retake the lead before Blaney's lap 187 crash and once the race had taken the green flag for what would turn out to be the final time on lap 191 Bowyer started to cruise away again. By lap 205 his lead was more than three seconds although with everyone having to make a final, green flag stop for fuel and tyres, the race wasn't done and dusted yet although it soon became apparent that without further intervention from the pace car the race was Bowyer's to lose.
The final round of stops came for the majority of the leaders between laps 230 and 240 although the off-sequence duo of Sorenson and Earnhardt Jr were able to keep Bowyer out of the lead until lap 252. After maintaining his comfortable lead over Gordon, Stewart and Jimmie Johnson through the final pit stop cycle Bowyer found himself with five seconds in hand over everyone else when he resumed the lead and was more than capable of coaxing his car through the final 48 laps to claim his first win in 64 career Cup starts.
Gordon maintained second spot throughout the final run but couldn't do anything about Bowyer, who led more than 220 of the 300 race laps in total. Gordon's main priority in the closing stages was keeping Stewart behind him, which he did by nearly two seconds as the final stages of petered out with none of the title hopefuls daring to push the envelope and risk disaster in the first race of the ten-race Chase.
Kyle Busch made his alternative strategy work to good effect as he claimed fourth, some ten seconds behind Bowyer with Truex Jr, Johnson and Matt Kenseth completing a top seven sweep for Chase drivers.
Mears was the leading non-Chase driver home in eighth place with Newman ninth, JJ Yeley tenth and Jamie McMurray eleventh. Carl Edwards was the eighth Chase driver home in 12th position on the road with Denny Hamlin an anonymous 15th, Harvick a disappointed 17th, Jeff Burton a lapped 18th and the down on power Busch only 25th.
![Clint Bowyer and crew chief Gil Martin at Daytona. [Pic Credit Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/190200.jpg)
