SONOMA, Calif. — Clint Bowyer said he knew he could get to victory lane this season, his first with Michael Waltrip Racing.

He just didn't think it would be on a road course.

Bowyer posted his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory with his new team Sunday by holding off Kurt Busch on the winding, 1.99-mile road course at Sonoma. Although Bowyer finished fourth three previous times on this road course, his background is on dirt tracks.

"To have this dirt boy from Kansas at victory lane on a road course is big, trust me," Bowyer said.

Bowyer dominated by leading 71 of the 112 laps and prevailed in a green-white-checkered flag finish in the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Tony Stewart passed Busch for second.

"Kurt raced me clean, he bumped me and roughed me up, but never did anything to jeopardize either one of us," Bowyer said.

Bowyer, who left Richard Childress Racing at the end of last season to join MWR, had to walk to victory lane to celebrate with his crew after his car ran out of fuel.

Greg Biffle of Vancouver, Wash., finished seventh and is second in the Cup standings; Matt Kenseth leads by 11 points. Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw placed 14th and is 17th in points.

Other race

• Ferrari's Fernando Alonso of Spain won an incident-filled European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain, to become the first driver to win two races this Formula One season. He has 29 career victories.

Meanwhile, seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher earned his first podium finish since his comeback in 2010 by placing third. Kimi Raikkonen was second.

"This race is probably the best victory I have ever felt," said Alonso, who cried on the podium as the national anthem was played. "In terms of emotions, nothing compares to this."