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ScuttleBu(r)t … Bark River’s Ives, Bowman team up for first ‘Cup’ win

Hendrickmotorsports.com Photo | Alex Bowman, left, and crew chief Greg Ives of Bark River teamed up Sunday for their first NASCAR Cup Series victory together at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet.

ScuttleBu(r)t …

Sounds like Bark River’s Greg Ives had the support of some Yooper friends at Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Joliet, Ill.

Ives and 26-year-old driver Alex Bowman collaborated on their first NASCAR Cup Series win. Hendrickmotorsports.com reported that Ives, team crew chief for Bowman’s No. 88 car, shared the victory with some family and friends in attendance at Chicagoland Speedway.

“It’s the hard work and the people behind you that allow you to get where you’re at,” said Ives, who attended Michigan Tech University. “Heck, I haven’t got 150 texts in my life in a week, and for those people to reach out and how proud they are, that’s what I do it for.”

While Bowman notched his first Cup win, Ives had three previously working with former Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“I kind of went from running in the back every week to doing this, and still not really sure how that all happened, but it’s been a heck of a ride,” said Bowman, who during one stretch this season had three straight runner-up results at Talladega, Dover and Kansas. “Just very thankful for the opportunity and thankful for getting to work with people like Greg Ives and this 88 team.”

Bowman lost the race lead Sunday with just eight laps remaining but came back two laps later to capture the checkered flag.

“Sometimes respect is what you’ve got to go and get, and I think (Bowman) has been capable of doing that,” Ives told NBCSports.com. “I feel like I’ve underperformed a little bit with the cars and been able to over the course of the last month and a half, two months been able to give (Bowman) an opportunity to run up front and show what he’s made of.”

From Dwight Perry, Seattle Times: “Green Bay Packers presented Paul McCartney with a stock certificate before a concert at Lambeau Field, making him an official team shareholder.

“No word on whether Sir Paul serenaded Aaron Rodgers with “Baby, You’re A Rich Man.” …

Sorry, Lobeck boys! Las Vegas books, according to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, says the Packers have a 52 percent chance of making the playoffs while the Vikings are down to 41.3 percent …

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