Clint Bowyer
Encyclopedia
Clint Bowyer is a NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 driver. He drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...

 in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...

. He won the 2008
2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series began on February 16, 2008, at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World 300, and ended on November 15, 2008, at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 300. This was the first season in which NASCAR's second-tier series was known as the Nationwide...

 Nationwide Series championship.

Early career

Bowyer began racing at the age of five in motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...

. He went on to capture over 200 wins and numerous championships over the next eight years. In 1996, he began racing street stocks at Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kansas
Mayetta, Kansas
Mayetta is a city in Jackson County, Kansas, United States. The population was 312 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Mayetta was originally owned by a family by the name of Lungar...

, and won the Modified championship there in 2000. Bowyer racked up 18 wins and 32 top-five finishes on his way to capturing the 2001 Modified championships at Lakeside Speedway
Lakeside Speedway
Lakeside Speedway is a dirt auto racing track located in Kansas City, Kansas. It features racing in Factory Stock, Grand National, and Modified categories. Racing at the track was the focus of the Discovery Channel series Heartland Thunder in 2010....

 in Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...

 and Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Park Topeka is a multi-purpose motorsports facility located south of Topeka, Kansas.When it opened in 1989, it was the first brand-new auto racing facility to be built in the United States for 20 years. Its facilities include a road-race course with 4 possible configurations , a ⅜ mile...

. In 2002, he began racing in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, posting 9 poles, 12 wins and 32 top-five finishes en route to a second place finish in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national point standings. He was also crowned the 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Midwest Champion after another Modified championship at Lakeside Speedway and a Late Model championship at the famed I-70 Speedway
I-70 Speedway
I-70 Speedway is a racetrack near Interstate 70 east of Odessa, Missouri, USA. The track opened in 1969 and was open every year until it closed in 2008. It was built and owned by Bill Roberts who, along with partners, had previously built and owned KCIR Dragstrip on Noland Road in Kansas City,...

 in Odessa, MO, his first attempt at racing on asphalt.

In 2003, Bowyer raced a full season in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Midwest Series, scoring one top-ten finish in 11 starts. He also would make his first ARCA
Automobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...

 starts in 2003, and caught the eye of legendary car owner Richard Childress
Richard Childress
Richard Childress is a former NASCAR driver and the current team owner of Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. As a business entrepreneur, Childress became one of the wealthiest men in North Carolina...

 after leading 47 laps and finishing second in his debut at Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...

 driving for Bobby Gerhart
Bobby Gerhart
Bobby Gerhart is a driver on the ARCA Re/Max Series. He has won eight times on the circuit, seven of those victories coming in the season-opening ARCA Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway . Presently, he drives the #5 Lucas Oil Chevrolet owned by his brother on a part-time basis...

.

When Childress contacted Bowyer about a job, Clint thought it was a joke, and hung up. Childress wasn't so happy the next time he called, but he still gave him the job.

2004-2007

In 2004,Clint began by finishing 8th in the ARCA Remax series race at Daytona in the #7 Advanced Chevrolet for Gerhart.In 2004 Bowyer began running the NASCAR Busch Series for Childress, sharing seat time in the #21 Reese's Chevrolet with Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...

. He drove in half of the 34 Busch Series races that year, winning one pole and seven top-tens, attaining a season-high 3rd place finish in the Federated Auto Parts 300
Federated Auto Parts 300
The Federated Auto Parts 300 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race that takes place at Nashville Superspeedway. The race is one of two races held at the track, which received a second date on the then-Busch Series schedule one year after the track opened...

 at Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...

 in June. He also ran three races for Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated was a NASCAR team owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, who herself is the daughter of a former Busch Series driver, John Linville...

 with help from Andy Petree Racing
Andy Petree Racing
Andy Petree Racing is a former NASCAR team. Its ownership changed hands several times over the years, with three different owners from its beginning to its close in 2004. The team was based out of North Carolina and was always a steady competitor for the win despite never winning a championship.-...

 with sponsorship from Monaco Coach.Bowyer made two starts for Bill McAnally in the Camping world west series in the #20 Chevrolet.In his two starts at phoenix & Auto Club Speedway he won one pole and had a best finish of 2nd.

Bowyer's first full Busch season was in 2005, replacing Ron Hornaday
Ron Hornaday
Ronald Hornaday, Jr. is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver. He is the father of former NASCAR driver Ronnie Hornaday, and son of the late Ron Hornaday, Sr., a two-time Winston West Champion. Adding on to the family legacy, Ron is a four-time champion in the Truck Series, his most recent...

 in the #2 ACDelco Chevrolet. He won two poles and two races en route to a second place finish to repeat-champion Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Lee Truex Jr. is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. Truex is a two-time Nationwide Series champion; having won the title in 2004 and 2005. His younger brother, Ryan is a champion in the K&N Pro Series East...

, losing by only 68 points. He also made his NEXTEL Cup debut in the Sylvania
Osram Sylvania
Osram Sylvania Inc. is the North American operation of lighting manufacturer Osram GmbH, which is owned by Siemens AG. It was established in January 1993, with the acquisition of GTE’s Sylvania lighting division by Osram GmbH....

-sponsored #33 Chevy on April 23, 2005, during the Subway Fresh 500
Subway Fresh 500
The Subway Fresh Fit 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. A 312-lap event that is one of only four NASCAR Cup Series events measured in kilometers rather than miles or laps The Subway Fresh Fit 500 is a NASCAR Sprint...

 at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...

. He finished 22nd as the first car one lap down. Richard Childress Racing announced on October 15, 2005, that Bowyer would race the #07 Chevrolet full time in the NEXTEL Cup series, replacing Dave Blaney
Dave Blaney
David Blaney is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He currently drives the #36 Golden Corral/Big Red Chevrolet Impala for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Blaney was a successful sprint car driver before he started racing in NASCAR...

 for the 2006 season.

Bowyer began his rookie Cup season with three top-fifteen finishes and had a total of eleven top-tens that season, with his best finish being a 3rd at California Speedway
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...

. He finished 68 points behind Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin
James Dennis Alan "Denny" Hamlin is an American race car driver. Though originally born in Tampa, Florida, Hamlin was raised for most of his life in Chesterfield, Virginia. After racing in go-karts for a number of years, he worked his way up to Late Models by 2004 and signed a development contract...

 for NASCAR Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....

 honors. Bowyer also continued to drive the #2 in the Busch Series full-time, winning once and finishing 3rd in points. Bowyer won his first Craftsman Truck Series Truck Series race in the #46 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...

 fielded by Morgan-Dollar Motorsports
Morgan-Dollar Motorsports
Randy Moss Motorsports with HTM is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. It is owned by David Dollar and former NFL wide receiver Randy Moss. Former driver Rob Morgan co-owned the team until 2004...

 at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....

 on November 3, 2006, in his third career Truck start, making his first CTS start that year at Martinsville for Green Light Racing
Green Light Racing
SS-Green Light Racing is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. Owned and operated by businessmen Ken Smith and Steve Urvan and former driver Bobby Dotter, the team fields the #07 Toyota Tundra for several drivers and the #81 Zachry Industrial, Inc. Toyota for David Starr...

.

After starting the 2007 season with a last-lap crash at Daytona (crossing the finish line upside down and on fire), Bowyer won the Budweiser Pole
Budweiser Pole Award
The Budweiser Pole Award was an award given to the fastest qualifier in each NASCAR NEXTEL Cup points paying race...

 position for the Dodge Avenger 500
2007 Dodge Avenger 500
The 2007 Dodge Avenger 500 was the eleventh race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, and the 51st edition of the race that began as the Rebel 300, held at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, a suburb of Florence...

 at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...

. He finished the regular season 9th in points, but was seeded 12th for the playoff
2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup
The 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup was the ten-race playoffs which concluded the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. It began with the Sylvania 300 on September 16, 2007 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and ended with the Ford 400 on November 18 of the same year at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with Jimmie...

, since race wins determine playoff seeding. Bowyer won his second pole at the Sylvania 300
Sylvania 300
The Sylvania 300 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.The Sylvania 300 has traditionally held in mid-September, however, the race has been rescheduled once in its history...

 at Loudon
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...

, and two days later went on to win his first NEXTEL Cup race in his 64th start.

For the 2007 Busch season, Bowyer ran a partial Busch Series schedule in the RCR #2 car with BB&T
BB&T
BB&T Corporation is an American bank with assets of $157 billion , offering full-service commercial and retail banking services along with other financial services like insurance, investments, retail brokerage, mortgage, corporate finance, consumer finance, payment services, international...

 and Camping World
Camping World
Camping World is an American corporation specializing in selling parts and service for recreational vehicles and supplies for camping. The company is based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and is privately held. Camping World has 70+ retail/service locations throughout the United States, and also sells...

 sponsorship. On April 20, 2007, he won the Busch Series Bashas' Supermarkets 200
Bashas' Supermarkets 200
The Bashas' Supermarkets 200 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.Bashas' Supermarkets sponsored the November race from 2002 until 2004...

 at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...

. He followed that up with another Busch Series win on May 4 in the Circuit City 250
Circuit City 250
The Bubba Burger 250 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race that takes place at Richmond International Raceway. The race was first held during the inaugural season for the Nationwide Series in 1982, as a 150 lap event. The race was removed from the schedule after 1984. It returned to the series...

 at Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...

. Bowyer also ran select races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Kevin Harvick.

2008

In 2008, Bowyer continued to drive in the Cup and Nationwide Series full-time. Bowyer dominated the late stages of the Daytona 500
2008 Daytona 500
The 2008 Daytona 500 was the 50th annual running of "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. The race took place on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race was the 50th to be run since the first in 1959, won by Lee Petty. To commemorate...

 but was spun out by Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...

 with 17 laps remaining.
On May 3, 2008, Bowyer earned his second Sprint Cup victory, winning the Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400
Crown Royal Presents the Your Name Here 400
The Crown Royal Presents the Your Name Here 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Since 2007, race title sponsor Crown Royal names the race after the winner of an essay contest during Daytona Speedweeks...

 at Richmond International Speedway. Bowyer led only two laps, going to the front after Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...

 and Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...

 got together with less than four laps remaining in the race.

On August 23, 2008, Bowyer was announced as the driver of the #33 General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...

 Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...

 Impala SS for RCR. Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....

 from Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...

 will replace Bowyer in the 07 Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...

 Chevrolet Impala SS. This move was necessitated by a sponsor's request, as General Mills did not want Mears, who had been driving in the 2008 season for a rival cereal with Hendrick Motorsports, representing them, so Childress sponsors General Mills and Brown-Forman Corporation
Brown-Forman Corporation
The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business.Some well-known brands of the corporation include Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodka, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Canadian Mist, Early Times, Old Forester, and Korbel champagne.-...

 agreed to the swap so Bowyer, who drove for Brown-Forman, would drive for General Mills, and Mears could drive for Brown-Forman, as they had no problems with Mears representing the company.

On November 15, 2008, Clint Bowyer won the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 with a narrow margin of victory over Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...

 of 21 points. Edwards won the race with Bowyer finishing 5th.

2009

Clint Bowyer concentrated primarily on the Sprint Cup Series in 2009 and drove the #33 General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...

/BB&T
BB&T
BB&T Corporation is an American bank with assets of $157 billion , offering full-service commercial and retail banking services along with other financial services like insurance, investments, retail brokerage, mortgage, corporate finance, consumer finance, payment services, international...

/The Hartford
The Hartford
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. , usually known as The Hartford, is a Fortune 500 company and one of America’s largest investment and insurance companies...

 Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...

 to 15th place in the season standings. Bowyer trimmed his participation in the Nationwide series to 12 races but performed well, winning at Daytona (July 3) and Dover (Sept. 26th), finishing in the top 5 in 6 of the 12 races and notching 8 top 10s.

Clint started the Cup season in strong fashion, finishing 4th in the Daytona 500 and 2nd at Las Vegas in the 3rd race of the year. With a 6th in Atlanta and a 5th in Martinsville, Bowyer was 2nd in the overall standings after 6 races.

A tough stretch in races 7 through 12 dropped Bowyer down to 17th overall, 109 points behind Mark Martin in 12th place. After a much more consistent run in races 13- 23 (3rd at Pocono in the #33 Hartford Racing paint out, 8th at Sonoma, 8th at Michigan), Clint had climbed up to 14th overall, within 58 pts of 12th place. Finishing in the top 15 in 8 of 11 races helped him make up 51 points on the 12th place position.

A 21st finish the following week (race 24) at Bristol really hurt Bowyer’s chance at the Chase, dropping him 112 points behind Matt Kenseth in 12th with just 2 races prior to the chase. It was the 25th race (Pep Boys
Pep Boys
The Pep Boys — Manny, Moe & Jack , branded as Pep Boys Auto and commonly abbreviated as Pep Boys, is a full-service and tire automotive aftermarket chain....

 500 at Atlanta) that sealed Clint’s fate, as a spin on lap 309 cost him 2 laps and the chance to compete in the Chase.

While Clint’s chances at the Chase were over, Bowyer finished the season like he started it, with 5 top 10s and 9 top 15s in the last 11 races. His top finish was the 6th place run at Charlotte in the Scary Fast Count Chocula paint out. Overall, Clint finished the 2009 Sprint Cup series in 15th place

2010

In 2010, Clint Bowyer returned with the same set of sponsors, driving the #33 General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...

/BB&T
BB&T
BB&T Corporation is an American bank with assets of $157 billion , offering full-service commercial and retail banking services along with other financial services like insurance, investments, retail brokerage, mortgage, corporate finance, consumer finance, payment services, international...

/The Hartford
The Hartford
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. , usually known as The Hartford, is a Fortune 500 company and one of America’s largest investment and insurance companies...

 Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...

 in the Sprint Cup Series.

True to form, Clint performed well early in 2010, finishing 4th in Daytona, 7th at Martinsville and 9th at Phoenix to stand 6th after 7 races. However, at Texas in the Samsung Mobile 500 (race 8), Bowyer got caught in a major crash on lap 317 that wiped out 8 other drivers and caused a 19-minute red flag race stoppage. The resulting 36th place finish dropped Clint to 14th position overall, only 1 point behind 12th place Joey Logano. 7th and 12th place finishes at Talladega and Richmond put Clint back into 12th place after 10 races.

The 11th race run at Darlington, promised to be special. Bowyer ran the new The Hartford Racing
The Hartford Racing
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc extended its sports marketing efforts to NASCAR in 2009 with a sponsorship of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33 Chevrolet Impala, driven by Clint Bowyer. The Hartford’s sports marketing efforts include being the founding sponsor of the U.S...

 paint out as part of The Hartford’s 200th year anniversary celebration. As part of Fox’s coverage, the 33 was one of 4 cars with an in-car camera for the race. However, 101 laps into the race, Bowyer went to the pits and ultimately the garage, with brake issues. After a 2nd long stop to correct Bowyer finished in 32nd position, 36 laps down.

Clint ran well again in races 12 through 14, as 17th, 7th and 9th place finishes allowed Bowyer to move back up into 12th place overall. In race 13 (Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte), Bowyer led lap 217 following a caution for debris. Kurt Bush passed Clint on the following lap and went on to win the race.
In races 15-17, Bowyer finished 22nd at Michigan, 31st at Sonoma and 7th at Loudon, NH. Despite the poor finish, Bowyer was very competitive at Sonoma. Clint led lap 80 (of 110) and was in 7th place with 11 laps to go. But on lap 100, Elliot Sadler gut bumped by Jeff Gordon and spun Bowyer, dropping him all the way back to 34th.

Clint had one of his strongest runs of the year in the Coke Zero 400 (at Daytona, July 3), leading 17 of the final 21 laps. Unfortunately on the final Green-White restart, Bowyer got split by Jeff Gordon, lost the lead, fell back in the pack and ultimately spun. In finishing 17th, Clint fell 49 points behind 12th place Carl Edwards.

In race 19 at Chicagoland, Bowyer ran well all night, finishing 4th and moving up into 12th place in the overall standings. Clint started 15th but moved up quickly, running in the top 10 for the first half and then in the top 5 for most of the latter half of the race, battling Jeff Gordon for the lead with less than 40 laps to go.

In the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Bowyer started 2nd and led the most laps before fading back into the top 5. Taking the white flag in second place, he suddenly witnessed then-leader Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...

 run out of fuel, giving Bowyer the third win of his Sprint Cup career and vaulting him to second in the Chase standings behind Denny Hamlin. However, this was negated during post-race inspection at NASCAR's R&D center. Reports surfaced that Bowyer's car used at Richmond had come close to failing inspection. NASCAR announced on September 22 that they had issued fines and penalties to the #33 team after failing a secondary inspection. Most critically, crew chief Shane Wilson was suspended for the next 6 races and both Bowyer and car owner Richard Childress face $150,000 in fines and the loss of 150 championship points. The penalty drops Bowyer back to 12th in points, 185 points behind Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin
James Dennis Alan "Denny" Hamlin is an American race car driver. Though originally born in Tampa, Florida, Hamlin was raised for most of his life in Chesterfield, Virginia. After racing in go-karts for a number of years, he worked his way up to Late Models by 2004 and signed a development contract...

. Childress appealed the decision, which reduced the suspensions to four races and $100,000, but the 150-point deduction was upheld.

During the Pepsi Max 400 weekend at Fontana, Bowyer and fellow Childress driver Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon is an American stock car racing driver. He is the son of former driver and RCR general manager Mike Dillon and grandson of Richard Childress....

 taped an episode of The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right (U.S. game show)
The Price Is Right is an American game show which was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Contestants compete to identify the pricing of merchandise to win cash and prizes. The show is well-known for its signature line of "Come on down!" when the announcer directs newly selected contestants to...

that is scheduled to feature NASCAR-themed Showcases (a practice that occurs during a Fontana race; host Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...

 was the Grand Marshal of the August 2008 race). That is scheduled to air November 15.

Bowyer barely edged teammate Kevin Harvick for the victory in the fall Talladega race, the AMP Energy Juice 500. The race ended with the leaders in Turn 1 when a caution was displayed for a large wreck on the front straightaway on the final lap.

Clint Bowyer finished 10th in the final Chase standings, earning him a spot on stage at the season-ending Awards Banquet.

2011

Clint started off 2011 strong in the Budweiser shootout practice sessions, he and his teammates regularly sat on top of the pylon. In the race, he and Jeff Burton led many laps, but faded to 10th at the end (9th because Denny Hamlin got black flagged).

Clint qualified 5th for the Daytona 500, and finished 2nd to Jeff Burton in his Gatorade duel by 0.005 seconds. They together dominated that race.

In the Daytona 500, Bowyer teamed up with many drivers throughout the day including Jeff Burton, Paul Menard (his new RCR teammate), Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kyle Busch. After Jeff Burton's engine let go, Clint found himself getting a push from Kyle Busch. With four laps to go, Kurt Busch got into the back of Regan Smith which turned him up in front of Clint. Ryan Newman was also involved. Clint was able to salvage a 17th place finish out of it, mainly because of the big pileups earlier in the race. Clint Bowyer also led 31 laps. Trevor Bayne ended up winning in only his second ever start. After the race he was 16th in points.

The next race at Phoenix, Clint was taken out early in a multi-car incident on the backstretch. The Helping Hands (his pit crew) were able to repair the car fairly quickly and he was able to finish 27th.

At Talladega, Bowyer led the most laps with 38 and lost to Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....

 at the finish line by 0.002 seconds, tied for the closest finish in NASCAR history.

At Dover, in the Nationwide series, Clint was involved in a major crash on the last lap, with Bowyer going on his side. He, and no-one else, were injured.

On October 7th, Clint signed a 3 year contract to race the 5-Hour Energy Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing, starting in 2012.

Bowyer won the fall race at Talladega for the second consecutive year, pulling a slingshot on teammate Jeff Burton out of turn 4 on the final lap of the race. The margin of victory was 0.018 of a second.

Race Team

Clint Bowyer started his own Dirt Late Model team, Clint Bowyer Racing in 2008. Well-established veteran Shannon Babb of Mowequa, IL was behind the wheel of Clint's Rocket Chassis, and had a very solid season. Babb left to form his own team at the end of 2008, due to wanting to run more of an "outlaw" type schedule, and wanting to race closer to home to be with his family. For the 2009 season, the 2005 World 100 Champion Dale McDowell (who ironically inherited the win via Babb being light at the scales) took over the seat, and the number was changed to Dale's signature #17M.

The team elected to run the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series full time in 2009, choosing to run Warrior Racecars, with help from Warrior's owner, Sanford Goddard. Winning two races and finishing fourth in the points standings, it was a decent season. Since then, the 17M has become a staple of the Lucas Oil Series, continuing on the 2010 tour.

Clint Bowyer Racing also has fielded cars in Tony Stewart's Prelude to The Dream in 2008 (Clint, 2nd & Jimmie Johnson, 10th) and 2010 (Johnson won, Bowyer 2nd). Both years these were also Warrior Racecars.

Charity work

On May 6, 2008, Clint Bowyer attended and hosted the first annual Clint Bowyer Charity Golf Event in his hometown of Emporia, Kansas. It raised $160,000 for the Emporia Community foundation to "make Emporia a better place."

Sprint Cup

2011
  • Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
    Talladega Superspeedway
    Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...

     - October 23, 2011

2010
  • Sylvania 300
    Sylvania 300
    The Sylvania 300 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.The Sylvania 300 has traditionally held in mid-September, however, the race has been rescheduled once in its history...

     at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - September 19, 2010
  • AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
    Talladega Superspeedway
    Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...

     - October 31, 2010

2008
  • Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400
    Crown Royal Presents the Your Name Here 400
    The Crown Royal Presents the Your Name Here 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Since 2007, race title sponsor Crown Royal names the race after the winner of an essay contest during Daytona Speedweeks...

     at Richmond International Raceway
    Richmond International Raceway
    Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...

     - May 3, 2008

2007
  • Sylvania 300
    Sylvania 300
    The Sylvania 300 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.The Sylvania 300 has traditionally held in mid-September, however, the race has been rescheduled once in its history...

     at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - September 16, 2007

Nationwide Series

2009
  • Subway Jalapeño 250 Presented By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway
    Daytona International Speedway
    Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...

     - July 3, 2009
  • Dover 200 at Dover International Speedway
    Dover International Speedway
    Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...

     - September 26, 2009

2008
  • Sharpie Mini 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway
    Bristol Motor Speedway
    Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...

     - March 15, 2008

2007
  • Basha's Supermarket 200
    Bashas' Supermarkets 200
    The Bashas' Supermarkets 200 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.Bashas' Supermarkets sponsored the November race from 2002 until 2004...

     at Phoenix International Rs Motorsports Park - October 22, 2005

Camping World Truck Series

2011
  • O'Reilly Auto Parts 250
    O'Reilly Auto Parts 250
    The O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that takes place at Kansas Speedway.In 2007 the race was run on April 28, in hopes of cooler weather for race day. As in the past 6 years the race was run on very hot and humid July days, making it hard for the fans and drivers...

     at Kansas Speedway
    Kansas Speedway
    Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...

     - June, 4 2011

2010
  • Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway
    Phoenix International Raceway
    Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...

     - November 12, 2010

2006
  • Silverado 350K
    Silverado 350K
    The WinStar World Casino 350K is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that takes place at Texas Motor Speedway. The 1999 race was 300 kilometers and the 2000 race was 400 kilometers. Starting in 2001, the race is now 350 kilometers. From 2001 through 2004, the races were 146 laps...

     at Texas Motor Speedway
    Texas Motor Speedway
    Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....

     - November 3, 2006

External links

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