In four races this season, Clint Bowyer has two top-five finishes, including a best of second at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

“Yes, it is just fuel for the fire,” Bowyer said Friday at Atlanta. “Now when you read the magazine, they say ‘He doesn't have his old team with him, he definitely won't be in the Chase this year, won't be contending for a championship.’ Every year they say that and every year we are there. Shane Wilson and all the guys on this team mean business; they are very good. They are very experienced, we have a lot of depth in this team within the No. 33 Chevy and I feel we will be just fine.”

Bowyer wasn’t bragging, just stating facts.

And he delivered again on Sunday with another strong result in the Kobalt Tools 500. “It was a good day for the BB&T Chevrolet,” said Bowyer. “We were definitely better when we had long green-flag runs and the sun was out. Another sixth-place finish at Atlanta. We can't seem to shake that finish, that's the fourth time we've finished there. We needed to be a little better on the short runs, but all in all it was a good points day for us.”

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE RESULTS: ATLANTA


Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to