Know Your Driver: Clint Bowyer

Clint Bowyer

Name: Clint Bowyer

            Nickname: N/A

Date of Birth: May 30, 1979 (age 35)

Hometown: Emporia, Kansas

Family: Lorra, wife; Cash, son

First Career Start: April 23, 2005 (Phoenix)

Car Number and Make: #15 Toyota Camry

Primary Sponsors:

• 5-Hour Energy
• Peak Antifreeze
• AAA
• Maxwell House

Team: Michael Waltrip Racing

Teammates: David Ragan, Michael Waltrip (part-time), Brian Vickers (on health leave)

Best Career Points Finish: 2nd (2012)

Career Victories: 8

Notable Wins: N/A

Description: Clint Bowyer had a slightly different path to NASCAR than most drivers do. For starters, Bowyer began competitive racing at age 5 (not the weird part) on dirt bikes (that's the weird part) and was extremely successful in that division of motorsport. He did not begin racing anything close to stock cars until he was in his late teens, but thrived quickly in that as well.

By the time the early 2000s rolled around, Bowyer had strung together enough success in NASCAR's lower division to warrant a call from legendary owner Richard Childress. Bowyer believed the call to be a joke and hung up on Childress, who called back pissed, but kept the job offer on the table, a move that fits Bowyer's comical personality well.

Bowyer's NASCAR career started off slowly, but steadily. He was not winning races right off the bat, but finishing in the top-10 consistently in the XFinity Series while dabbling a bit in NASCAR's top flight. He finally landed a full-time ride through Childress in the Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2006.

After a solid rookie campaign, Bowyer was able to make the Chase in his second year and scored his first career win in the Chase at New Hampshire. He followed that up in 2008 by tacking on another win and winning the XFinity championship in addition. Bowyer would continue to find limited success with Childress before making a switch to Michael Waltrip Racing in 2012.

Bowyer would go on to have his career best year in 2012, winning a career high three races in one season and finishing runner-up for the championship to Brad Keselowski. He may have been able to challenge for the title, but in the penultimate race of the season, he was wrecked by Jeff Gordon after a season-long mini feud between the two boiled over to epic proportions.

In 2013, Bowyer would continue to run consistent despite not finding victory lane and put himself solidly in Chase position by the time the Richmond cut-off race came about. Bowyer's teammate at the time, Martin Truex Jr., was battling to make the Chase and needed to gain positions quick at the end of the race to make the playoffs. Evidence seemed to prove that Bowyer was told to intentionally spin in order to help his teammate. NASCAR reviewed the evidence and brought down huge penalties on Michael Waltrip Racing, penalties which they are still trying to recuperate from.

As Michael Waltrip Racing seeks to regain its footing from the 2013 scandal, Bowyer has had a tough time finding his normal consistent form. Though it seems he's currently frustrated, he continues to show flashes of being able to win again. If and when that win comes, Bowyer is the type of driver to capitalize on momentum, so it just may be a matter of time. 

Fun Facts: Known for being fun-loving and country as they come, Bowyer has appeared on an episode of the well-known television show Duck Dynasty.