RCR's Bowyer Wants to Add Name to Winner's List at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (Dec. 19, 2004) -- Many of today's household racing names have earned victories in the Advance Discount Auto Parts 200.

Benny Parsons, Tim Richmond, Joe Ruttman, Mike Wallace, Ryan Newman and Kyle Busch are among the race winners of the season-opening ARCA RE/MAX Series event held during Speedweeks at historic Daytona International Speedway.

Richard Childress Racing driver Clint Bowyer is hoping to follow in those footsteps when he competes in the Advance Discount Auto Parts 200 on Saturday, Feb. 12 at "The World Center of Racing."

The Emporia, Kan., driver, who finished eighth in last year's Advance Discount Auto Parts 200 driving a Bobby Gerhart Racing Chevrolet, will race a Chevrolet for RCR in this year's 80-lap event looking to gain more superspeedway way experience and do some research and development work for RCR.

"This is the first race of the year," said Bowyer, whose top speed on Sunday was 181.112 mph. "This ARCA race is before any of the others and it'd be good to get RCR as a whole started out right with a win."

Bowyer, who drove a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Busch Series races for RCR in 2004, will move to fulltime in 2005 and replace Ron Hornaday as the driver of the No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet. He'll kick off his Busch Series campaign a week after the Advance Discount Auto Parts 200 in the Feb. 19 Hershey's Take 5 300 and has some lofty expectations for the season.

"Our goals are set to win that championship," Bowyer said. "Richard, he's a championship winner and he wins championships and that's what he's there for and that's what he's used to. Basically, you either do it or somebody else will do it."

Bowyer is among the first drivers to test at Daytona International Speedway since the major infield renovation began in July. Included in the massive renovation are new garages, new Daytona 500 Club and Gatorade Victory Lane, new massive Turn 1 tunnel, waterfront specialty vehicle parking and a uniquely designed FanZone.

He was impressed by all the changes to the infield and says competing at the historic 2.5-mile tri-oval is an honor.

"When I came here for the first time last year I was just in awe," Bowyer said. "I had never even seen a track this big. I come from the dirt tracks in the Midwest and to walk in the gate of this place and see this, this is four race tracks. It does means a lot, there's a lot of history here and just to be able to make laps on it means a lot."

David Ragan running fast: David Ragan is not only looking forward to driving his No. 88 Dodge in the Feb. 12 Advance Discount Auto Parts 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race, but also the No. 28 entry for Jim Rosenblum Racing in the Feb. 18 Florida Dodge Dealers 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race under the lights.

Ragan posted a top-five speed during the Sunday morning session and is confident that he can be at the top of the scoring sheet come February.

"We're extremely happy," Ragan said. "If qualifying was today, I wouldn't be afraid to say we'd be on the front row. We'll come back and we'll have a little better car when we come back and I'm sure some of the other guys will too."

Ragan, whose father Ken was a veteran racer and won the pole for the Advance Discount Auto Parts 200 in 1985, is excited about coming back to Daytona and is eager to see how the "World Center of Racing" looks after the renovations are complete.

"I was young when (my dad) came," Ragan said. "He sat on the pole down here and it means something to come back down and be fast again. I look forward to Speedweeks. It will be fun to get to go out there in front of the big crowd that will be here for the (Budweiser) Shootout and have a good time. It's going to be nice (after the renovations); definitely a lot more room to accommodate more series."

Next up: The next activity planned at "The World Center of Racing" is Daytona KartWeek presented by Cometic Gaskets on Dec. 26-30. Both the Speedway and nearby Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium will be transformed into big playgrounds as hundreds of go-karts will camp out for five days of exciting side-by-side racing.