Bowyer Just Might Let It All Hang Out At Richmond

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Bowyer Just Might Let It All Hang Out At Richmond

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RICHMOND, Va. - It might be fun watching Clint Bowyer race tonight in the Wonderful Pistachios 400 Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway.

Speaking of pistachios, RIR has a way of attracting unique sponsors, like Wonderful Pistachios and Crown Royal. Now THAT is an appealing combination.

Back to Bowyer. The native of Emporia, Kan., said during his press conference in RIR’s media center that, as far as race strategy goes, well, there is none.

In the position he’s in, both competitively and with the Richard Childress Racing team, there is no reason for it. It’s time to let it all hang out.

“Strategy, hey, it’s full speed ahead,” Bowyer said. “Hopefully, we’ll stay up front and lead all the laps and win the race.”

Uh, Clint, that ain’t original. Heck, every driver hopes for the same thing.

But in Bowyer’s case it’s all a reflection of what he thinks he must do at Richmond, and elsewhere, given the circumstances.

First, his chances of making the Chase aren’t good, which is saying it nicely. Even Bowyer jokingly admits that for him to rise from 14th in points into the top 10 – which is where he must be to enter the “playoffs” – is almost an impossible task.

“Yeah, we had an interesting situation where we had all the scenarios here,” Bowyer said with a smile. “Some mathematician is getting very smart in all the scenarios that he worked out for a press conference yesterday.

“Kasey Kahne and I were laughing. Basically, if everybody fell over dead before the race except for two cars and Kasey was able to beat them, then he was in.

“And then if half of them fell over dead and I won, then I was in.”

By the time Bowyer finished describing this “scenario,” he was laughing – and so were the media present. It was darn good material.

It was also accurate. Bowyer stood at least a mathematical chance of making the Chase until he was knocked out of the race at Atlanta – he finished 36th – after a crash with Juan Pablo Montoya.

Of course, Bowyer was unhappy with Montoya, whom he blamed for the fracas that essentially scrapped his chances for the Chase.

But he was more philosophical at Richmond.

“At the end of the day with the Juan thing, it was a racing deal,” Bowyer said. “There was a lot of frustration there and there was a lot on the line.

“Unfortunately, the guy that had nothing on the line, I felt he could have backed off and give a guy that had everything to lose in that situation a break.

“That’s where my frustration was. But it was my fault. I knew who I was racing with and I pushed the envelope and got bit.”

Also, rumors are building that Bowyer’s tenure with Childress is coming to an end. Even Childress admits it’s not likely a renewal deal with Bowyer is going to be struck. The team’s major sponsors are not returning for 2012.

Bowyer has been linked to Richard Petty Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.

If it is indeed the end at Childress for Bowyer, it’s only logical that he makes it as palatable as possible. That translates into going all out to win one or more races.

“If I don’t stay it would be heart-breaking; a tough deal,” Bowyer said. “That’s family to me and it means a lot to me. I don’t forget where I was standing when I got a phone call to give me this opportunity and change my life.

“But the world goes on. You have to make decisions and those are performance-driven, business-driven, life, family, everything. It is a lot of decisions you go through and everybody goes through those in life. Us racers are no different.”

Bowyer admits it would have been ideal if his situation with Childress had long since been resolved. But since it is not, and he may have to drive for another team, that doesn’t mean his efforts to win should be any less.

“It’s tough in today’s world and you’ve got to be tough as well,” Bowyer said. “The pressure is off now. Now we can go. We can go out and contend for wins for the rest of the season. Sometimes it’s more fun to race under those circumstances.

“It just wasn’t our year. We didn’t do a good enough job and it’s up to us to cap off the season well. Just because you’re not part of the Chase doesn’t mean you don’t go out and try to end the season on a positive note.

“That’s important to me, it’s important to the race team and it’s important to the sponsors.”

He may be out of the Chase (maybe not if some folks keel over) and about to undergo a career transition, but it doesn’t lessen Bowyer’s confidence in himself.

“This isn’t the end of the world,” he said. “There’s a lot of future left in me. I believe in this sport and hopefully it’s right.

“To be honest with you, I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

And I suspect more than a few are looking forward to how hard Bowyer races tonight, the chances he might take and what may result.

After all, the pressure is off.

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