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NASCAR All-Star: Clint Bowyer leads AJ Allmendinger in Showdown

Clint Bowyer and AJ Allmendinger earned their places in NASCAR's All-Star event by finishing first and second in Friday evening's Showdown qualifying race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

All drivers who won Sprint Cup rounds in 2013/14 plus past champions and All-Star victors went straight into Saturday night's main event, leaving the remaining Cup regulars to try to race their way in via the Showdown.

Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota driver Bowyer passed long-time leader Allmendinger's JTG Daugherty Chevrolet just before the end of the first of the two 20-lap segments.

Bowyer was first out among the drivers who changed all four tyres in the mid-event pitstops and made short work of the two-tyre-changers and non-stoppers once racing resumed for part two, with Allmendinger following him through to second.

While those two were soon out of reach, Casey Mears battled past Marcos Ambrose for third. Ambrose had flown back up the order after an early brush with Ricky Stenhouse Jr put him into a wild slide early in the first segment.

Pole-winner Austin Dillon faded to eighth by the end of the event.

A third All-Star spot was decided by a fan vote, with Phil Parsons Racing's underdog Josh Wise getting the nod. Wise, who finished 18th in the Showdown, has galvanised online support to 'crowd-fund' his Cup campaign this year.

Bowyer, Allmendinger and Wise complete a 22-car field for the non-championship All-Star race, which offers a million dollar prize to its winner.

Results - 40 laps:

Pos  Driver              Team/Car                   Time/Gap
 1.  Clint Bowyer        Waltrip Toyota           30m35.000s
 2.  AJ Allmendinger     JTG Daugherty Chevrolet     +2.547s
 3.  Casey Mears         Germain Chevrolet           +4.332s
 4.  Marcos Ambrose      Petty Ford                  +5.287s
 5.  Aric Almirola       Petty Ford                  +5.489s
 6.  Kyle Larson         Ganassi Chevrolet           +5.853s
 7.  Ricky Stenhouse Jr  Roush Fenway Ford           +8.768s
 8.  Austin Dillon       Childress Chevrolet         +9.960s
 9.  Paul Menard         Childress Chevrolet        +10.583s
10.  Danica Patrick      Stewart-Haas Chevrolet     +11.976s
11.  David Gilliland     Front Row Ford             +14.736s
12.  Cole Whitt          BK Toyota                  +17.175s
13.  Alex Bowman         BK Toyota                  +18.578s
14.  Dave Blaney         Humphrey Smith Ford        +20.719s
15.  Michael Annett      Baldwin Chevrolet          +21.469s
16.  Joe Nemechek        Robinson Toyota            +22.102s
17.  Landon Cassill      Hillman Chevrolet          +23.077s
18.  Josh Wise           Parsons Ford               +23.997s
19.  Ryan Truex          BK Toyota                  +25.798s
20.  JJ Yeley            Xxxtreme Toyota            +26.050s
21.  Reed Sorenson       Baldwin Chevrolet          +26.493s
22.  Blake Koch          FAS Lane Ford              +28.897s

Retirements:

     David Stremme       Circle Sport Chevrolet      25 laps

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