Bowyer Leads Design Team to Put a 1950s Twist on a One-Of-A-Kind 2011 Tundra
CORNELIUS, N.C. – NASCAR drivers Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle battle on the race track just about every weekend, but this summer the pair is locked in a fierce battle in the Sherwin-Williams Planet Color® All-Star Charity Challenge.
The Challenge pits the truck design talents of the two drivers. Bidders at the Barrett Jackson Auctions in Orange County, Calif. and Las Vegas, Nev. will decide each vehicle’s worth with all proceeds going to the drivers’ charities. Bowyer’s truck will go across the block on June 23 at the Orange County auction.
“Greg is friend, but I don’t think there is any doubt my Toyota Tundra ‘50s-style work truck is going to get a lot higher bid at Barrett Jackson than his will,” boasted Bowyer who spearheaded the design of the 2011 Toyota Tundra.
Bowyer’s winning bid will go to the Emporia Community Foundation in Bowyer’s Kansas hometown. “My truck is just old-school work truck cool,” he said. “No doubt about it.”
Bowyer, Toyota Motor Corporation, Erick Brockmeyer Designs and custom painter Jason Jewett, owner of Red House Custom Paints, created the 2011 Tundra which features a red patina paint job to give it the appearance of a well-used, weathered “tri-five” style work truck.
Additional ‘50s-style design elements incorporated into the Tundra design include a roof visor, custom wheels, louvered tailgate, vertical bar grill, white bumpers, mirrors and grill, a wood bed and wood bed stakes, and blanket upholstered seats. The 2011 Toyota Tundra includes a custom exhaust and rides low to the ground. Bowyer’s team used Sherwin-Williams’ Planet Color paint.
Bowyer has a new appreciation for the custom vehicle world.
“It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of hard work. A lot of people put forth a great deal of money, time and effort and I’m pretty proud of what we created,” he said.
““We appreciate NASCAR superstars like Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle lending their names and efforts in helping us create the Planet Color® All-Star Charity Challenge,” said Bobby Moody director of motorsports. “Planet Color custom paints and finishes have been a tremendous hit among custom automotive enthusiasts and painters alike. All Planet Color custom paints and coatings are based upon Sherwin-Williams’ exclusive OEM-approved color system.”
Bowyer’s Tundra will be on display at the Toyota Pit Pass display at NASCAR events in June. SPEED-TV will also air features on the Bowyer-designed truck.
THE FULL LIST OF PARTICIPATING SUPPLIERS AND VENDORS
– MagnaFlow Custom Exhaust installed by ProFab, Concord, N.C. – 20″ Billet Smoothies Wheels provided by Rushforth Wheels, Tacoma, Wash. – HubCaps provided by Wheel Smith, Corona, Calif.
– Wood Show Bed provided by Bruce Horkey’s Wood and Parts, Windom, Minn. – Custom Grill provided by Ebay Motors
– Custom Suspension provided by McGaughy’s, Fresno, Calif. – Interior provided by Rick’s Upholstery, Mooresville, N.C.
– Dashboard provided by S&S Hydrographics, Mooresville, N.C.
– Windshield Visor provided by Chevs of the 40’s, Vancouver, Wash.
– Fabrication completed by Street Customs, Mooresville, N.C.
– Design By Erick Brockmeyer Designs
– Consultation by Podium Ink
ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST
· BOWYER AT DOVER: Bowyer will make his 13th NSCS start at Dover International Speedway on Sunday. In his previous 12 starts Bowyer has five top-10 finishes. He finished sixth last May and led 29 laps. Bowyer has led a total of 33 laps in his 12 starts, averages a 20th place starting position and finish of 14th.
· GOODBYE MAY, HELLO JUNE: Bowyer escapes the month of May, which features races at statistically unfavorable tracks Darlington and Charlotte, with a top-10 average finish. Bowyer finished sixth at Talladega, 11th at Darlington and 13th at Charlotte. In 20 career NSCS starts at Darlington and Charlotte Bowyer has one top-five and four top-10s. At tracks the NSCS visits in the month of June (Dover, Pocono, Michigan and Sonoma), Bowyer has four top-fives and 18 top-10s with an average finish of 15.6 in 42 starts.
· BOWYER IN 2012: In 12 starts this season Bowyer has one top-five, five top-10 and nine top-15 finishes. He has led five laps – three at Las Vegas and two at Martinsville. He has an average finish of 13.7 and start of 15.5. Bowyer’s best average finish for a season came in 2007 when he averaged a finish of 13.8 and finished third in the final point standings.
· CHASSIS NOTES: Primary Chassis No. 724 started 16th and finished fourth at Bristol Motor Speedway. Chassis No. 718 is the backup and previously served backup duty at Phoenix, Bristol and Richmond but never raced.
· 5-hour ENERGY OPEN TRACK: On Saturday, June 2 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. ticket holders for the 5-hour ENERGY 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race will have the chance to enter the track and roam the frontstretch of the Monster Mile. Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip will participate in a free question and answer session for fans in attendance at 9 a.m.
· TIME TO HIT THE ROAD: Bowyer and the No. 15 team are testing at Virginia International Raceway on Wednesday. The road course testing is in preparation for the upcoming race in Sonoma, Calif.
· 2013 TOYOTA CAMRY REVEAL: Bowyer and team owner Michael Waltrip visited the Toyota Racing Development campus in Salisbury, N.C. on Wednesday, May 23 for the unveiling of the 2013 Toyota Camry that will race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning at the 2013 Daytona 500.
· PRELUDE TO THE DREAM: Bowyer, last year’s Prelude to the Dream winner, will make his sixth start in the dirt track exhibition on June 6 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Clint Bowyer Racing also built the race winning car for Jimmie Johnson in 2010. Bowyer has never finished outside the top-five. The 2012 Feed The Children Prelude to the Dream will be broadcast live on HBO Pay Per View.
· DRIVE FOR THE COVER: Activision and NASCAR Team Properties have created an exciting campaign that invites fans to vote for their favorite NASCAR driver to be featured on the cover of NASCAR The Game: Inside Line due to be released this fall. The campaign will position 32 drivers in a five-round bracket-style tournament to select the cover driver for this year’s game. Fans can vote for Bowyer by visiting www.nascarthegame.com/vote
· NMPA SPIRIT AWARD WINNER: The National Motorsports Press Association selected Clint Bowyer as its first quarter Spirit Award winner. The award recognizes an individuals contributions to the racing community. Bowyer’s “Seventy-Nine Fund” donated more than $1 million to the construction of the Bowyer Community Building, a multi-purpose community center to host events, concerts and activities for the residents of Bowyer’s hometown of Emporia, Kan. Click here for more information on the Bowyer Community Building.
