July 4th Fireworks
CORNELIUS, N.C. — “Just Own the Night. Like the Fourth of July. ‘Cause, Baby you’re a firework. Come on show them what you’re worth.” Clint Bowyer would like to do exactly what singer Katy Perry suggests. The NASCAR Sprint Cup driver will try to do that this holiday weekend when he brings his No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota to Daytona International Speedway.
And if the season opening race at the World Center of Racing is any indication, Bowyer may just light up the night like a July 4th firework.
Bowyer nearly won the sport’s most prestigious race in February, lining up second on the final restart. As he came down to make a pass for the lead, another car got out of line, shuffling Bowyer to a seventh-place finish. He has finished in the top 10 in half of the 36 races he has run at NASCAR’s restrictor-plate tracks, Daytona and Talladega. And although he has yet to win at Daytona, he has two wins at Talladega Superspeedway.
Bowyer knows that figuring out how to master the draft and being a “student of what’s going on out there” is key. Now he just needs to own the night and show everyone what he’s worth.
What goes into a good run at Daytona?
“Oh man. So much goes into a good finish and a win at Daytona. I’ve never won there but gotten close a lot. I love the race track. Having a good attitude and being a student of what’s going on out there, which is a lot, comes into play. Three and four wide, who are you with? Who are the fast cars? How to get yourself situated with those fast cars for that right push in the right situation there at the end. All of those things coming into play. And ultimately at the end, a little luck. There’s a lot that goes into that right situation for that push and have that formula play out. At the end of the day, good old fashioned luck probably will put you in victory lane.”
NO. 15 CREW ROSTER
Billy Scott
Crew Chief
Terry Spalding
Front Tire Changer
Allen Steele
Front Tire Carrier
Lee Cunningham
Rear Tire Changer
P.J. Briody
Rear Tire Carrier
Brian Chase
Jack Man
Evan Marchal
Gas Man
J.D. Frey
Car Chief
Brett Griffin
Spotter
Dax Gerringer
Race Engineer
Joe Bisson
Race Engineer
Adam Cooke
Shock Specialist
Travis Stock
Rear Mechanic
Chris Sherwood
Front Mechanic
Kyle Anderson
Interior Mechanic
James Davis
Tire Specialist
Gregg Huls
Engine Tuner
Ray Erwin
Truck Driver
Jeff Shano
Truck Driver
DAYTONA STATS
· Three top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 19 starts
· Completed 3,299 of 3,389 laps (97.3%) and led 151 laps
· Average start 18.5 and average finish 15.5
· Three DNFs (Did Not Finish) – February 2014, July 2012 and 2007
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NBC Sports Group Assumes Coverage
Coverage begins Saturday, July 4th, at 7 p.m. ET with the NASCAR Xfinity race on NBCSN. On Sunday evening, NBC presents the 57th running of the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at 7 p.m. ET.
On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content, beginning this coming 4th of July weekend from Daytona International Speedway.
With this partnership, NBC’s 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race schedule includes a designation as the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The Chase culminates with the season-ending championship event, which returns to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009.
Of NBC Sports Group’s 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBCSN. Four of NBC Sports Group’s 19 NASCAR XFINITY Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.
The NBCSN also hosts NASCAR AMERICA, a 30-minute news and highlights program each weekday, which features regular appearances by NBC Sports’ NASCAR experts, as well as a rotation of guest analysts.