Alex Bowman
No. 99 SchoolTipline.com Toyota Camry
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: ToyotaCare 250 – April 26, 2013
Venue: Richmond International Raceway
News & Notes:
This Week’s SchoolTipline.com Toyota … Bowman will pilot RAB Racing chassis No. 40 in Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race. This chassis last saw action at Dover International Speedway and the body has been completely updated for the 2013 season.
Happy Birthday!.. On Thursday, April 25th Bowman will celebrate his 20th birthday by practicing his No. 99 SchoolTipline.com Toyota Camry and visiting a local middle school in the Richmond, VA area.
Welcome Back… SchoolTipline.com returns as primary sponsor of the No. 99 Toyota Camry. SchoolTipline.com was founded as a platform to give students, parents, and faculty alike an outlet to report bullying, weapon possession, drug use, etc. in schools. Completely anonymous, students can report bullying and other incidents via text messages. Administrators receiving the texts can respond, opening bridges of two-way communication. This system empowers students to make positive changes, so schools can return to a safe place of learning.
School Visit… Bowman will be speaking to students at L. Douglas Wilder Middle School in Richmond, VA to kickoff SchoolTipline.com’s “Drive Away Bullying Campaign.”
I’ve Been Here … Though Bowman hasn’t recorded laps at Richmond on the Nationwide Series circuit, he has raced here before in K&N Pro Series East competition. In 2011’s running of the Blue Ox 100, Bowman scored a fifth place finish.
Flashback… Two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway, Bowman scored his and RAB Racing’s first Nationwide Series pole award turning a lap of 28.441 seconds around the 1.5 mile track. Bowman also received the Sunoco Rookie of the Race contingency award.
Rookie Battle… Following Bowman’s impressive run at Texas Motor Speedway, he took over the lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings, garnering a 15-point cushion over Kyle Larson.
RAB Racing at Richmond … RAB Racing has competed in seven Nationwide Series events at Richmond International Raceway since their inaugural year of competition in 2009. RAB Racing has one top five and one top finish, and a near perfect lap completion record of 99.2 percent.
Rice at Richmond … Crew chief of the No. 99 SchoolTipline.com Toyota Camry Chris Rice has sat atop the pit box at Richmond International Raceway ten times in his Nationwide Series career, amassing one top five and two top 10 finishes, as well as 19 laps led. Rice, a South Boston, Virginia native grew up only two hours from the famed short track.
Get to the Points … As we head into the seventh race of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, Bowman currently occupies the eighth position in the drivers’ point standings, only 29 points out of the top five. A mere three points separates Bowman from sixth position. Owner Robby Benton moved into the 11th position of the Nationwide Series owners’ point standings.
Catch the Action … Friday night’s ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway will be televised live Friday, April 26 beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPNEWS and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network.
Get Social … Don’t miss any updates from Bowman and RAB Racing. Follow them on Twitter @AlexBRacing and @RAB_Racing.
Alex Bowman Quotes:
“I’m happy to return to short track racing at Richmond International Raceway, a track that I really enjoy and instantly became accustomed to in the K&N East Series. I will also be celebrating my birthday on Thursday, and feeling like an old man leaving my teenage years behind, but thankfully I’ll be spending it at the track with my team RAB Racing and then afterwards going to L. Douglas Wilder Middle School in Richmond, VA with Kevin Wright and everyone at SchoolTipline.com. As much as I love racing, it’s just as important to go to these middle schools each week and continue to educate students about our Drive Away Bullying Campaign, and I’m definitely excited for that opportunity. ”
Chris Rice Quotes:
“I’m looking forward to going back home. I’ve been coming to Richmond from when it was just guard rails to what it is now. I love it here. It’s a good short track; you can race the top side and the bottom side. It’s going to be a tough task though, practicing during the day and racing at night, but we’ll do a good job. I’m excited to have a teammate going in the No. 29 Camry of Kenny Wallace. We are just going to focus on making the car turn well and get that forward bite. Our SchoolTipline.com Toyota Camry will be ready to roll in Richmond.”
