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[/media-credit]CLINT BOWYER
No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
DARLINGTON RACEWAY
CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota driver Clint Bowyer will pay extra attention to the command to start his engine at Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway.
That’s because it will be his mom‘s voice on the public address system. Jana Bowyer, along with several drivers’ mothers, will serve as Grand Marshals for the Southern 500 and start the race. Bowyer said his mother’s support played a large role in leading him to the top level of the sport.
CLINT BOWYER ON HIS MOTHER’S INFLUENCE: “She’s been there since day one. My brothers and I grew up racing motorcross and along with my Dad, that gave her four guys to keep track of and keep on the right path. I remember going to races early on and she’d always make sure we were eating right and keeping our gear clean all weekend. She was just very supportive of everything we did. Racing has always been a family sport with my family and I’m very fortunate and lucky to be able to keep it that way even today.”
JANA BOWYER ON CLINT AS A KID: “Clint wasn’t the cleanest kid around – his bedroom was pretty much always a disaster. But, that’s okay, that’s just part of being a Mom. I enjoyed looking after my boys, so they never really did anything around the house. I didn’t really teach them very well when it came to house work, but all of my boys have been great sons. I let them focus on racing – and so far that’s turned out pretty well for all of us.”
CLINT BOWYER ON DARLINGTON: “It’s such a unique track from all the others. We only get to come here once a year. You really have to get up on the wheel. When you get to Darlington you hear people say, ‘race the rack’ – which means gets comfortable, ride around and watch everyone else wreck their cars, but you really can’t do that here. You have to really push yourself and get out of your comfort zone big time to run a lap at Darlington – and that can bite you in a hurry. You have to respect the place. You have to get up on the wheel but be careful doing it too.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST
· NMPA Spirit Award Winner: The National Motorsports Press Association selected Clint Bowyer as its first quarter Spirit Award winner. The award recognizes an individual’s contributions to the racing community. Bowyer’s “Seventy-Nine Fund” donated more than $1 million to the construction of a multi-purpose community center to host events, concerts and activities for the residents of Bowyer’s hometown of Emporia, Kan.
· Bowyer at Darlington: Bowyer will make his seventh career NSCS start at Darlington Raceway on Saturday night. In six previous starts, he has one top-10 finish (2007) and two top-15 finishes. Bowyer won the pole position in 2007, led 16 laps and finished ninth. Bowyer averages a 19th place starting spot and 25th place finish.
· Chassis Notes: Primary Chassis No. 727 raced to a 13th place finish at California. Chassis No. 721 is the backup and previously served backup duty at Las Vegas, Fontana, Texas and Kansas – but never raced.
· The Sports Fan: Bowyer threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the April 20 Kansas City Royals game, joined owner Michael Waltrip at the NCAA Basketball championship game in New Orleans on April 2 and attended the Super Bowl in Indianapolis on Feb. 5.
