CLINT BOWYER
No. 15 5-hour ENERGY® TOYOTA
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Preview
CORNELIUS, N.C. — I’m gonna keep on the run. I’m going to have me some fun. Elvis Presley knew a thing or two about Las Vegas and he famously sang about it in his 1963 hit song, “Viva Las Vegas.” And a good run would certainly bring some fun for Clint Bowyer and the No.15 5-hour ENERGY team this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Michael Waltrip Racing driver is coming off a good weekend at Phoenix that ended in a 13th-place finish. The result moved Bowyer up 16 spots in the point standings. He is currently 23rd after a mechanical failure in the season’s opener put him in an unusual position in the point standings.
Bowyer and team hope to continue that momentum at Las Vegas, the first 1.5-mile track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit the season . Bowyer has three top-10 finishes in eight starts at the oval. A trip to victory lane would certainly provide a reason for the driver and his 5-hour ENERGY crew to echo Presley and say, “Viva Las Vegas!”
What do you think about qualifying under the new format at a 1.5-mile track for the first time?
“Well, we just missed advancing to the next round last weekend. But I think we figured out a few things and will be better about it this weekend. I think the fans liked it and it was exciting to watch.”
How important is Las Vegas?
“It’s pretty important. It’s the first 1.5-mile track we go to and it usually shows who has their stuff ready to go. We were good off the truck last year and I’m hoping for the same this year.”
NEW QUALIFYING PROCEDURE
Las Vegas marks the first time that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series employs the new qualifying procedure at a 1.5-mile track. The format is as follows:
· The first qualifying elimination round includes the entire field and lasts 30 minutes.
· The 12 fastest single lap times from the first qualifying round advance to the second and final round. Those not advancing start based on the order of their first-round speeds.
· After a 10 minute break, the second and final qualifying round lasts 10 minutes with the fastest single lap time determining positions 1st -12th.
CHASSIS
Chassis: Chassis No. 802 serves as the primary chassis for Bowyer at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It is a new chassis. Chassis No. 800 serves as the back-up chassis. The chassis also is new.
LAS VEGAS STATS
· One top-five and three top-10 finishes in eight starts
· Completed 2,125 of 2,157 laps (98.5%) of competition and led 17 laps
· Average start 17.8 and average finish 17.1
· Best finish of sixth came in 2012
