Race 2 Win: Auto Club 500 Notes

Nextel Cup Series

Auto Club 500 - Clint Bowyer Notes

Clint Bowyer
No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: Auto Club 500 – Feb. 25, 2007
Venue: California Speedway – Fontana, Calif.

NOTES:

This Week’s Race Car at California Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 170 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. Built new in 2006, this is the same car Bowyer raced to a third-place finish last fall at California Speedway. This car also saw action last year at Indianapolis (started second – finished fourth), in August at Michigan (started 29th – finished 33rd), at Kansas (started sixth – finished ninth) in October at Texas (started 14th – finished fifth) and in the 2006 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (started 10th – finished 10th). Affectionately referred to as “Betsy”, this is Bowyer’s favorite Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet.

Stats Facts … In six starts at California Speedway, including NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series competition, Bowyer has posted three top fives and has an impressive 8.8 finishing average. In those same six races, the Emporia, Kan., driver has no DNFs, and has completed all 1,001 laps.

If You Can’t Win, Be Spectacular … Since his spectacular, upside-down and on fire, 18th-place finish last weekend at the Daytona 500, Bowyer has been a media darling. On Monday, the 27-year-old driver was featured on CNN Headline News and on The Hot List on ESPNEWS. Tuesday, he was interviewed live via satellite from RCR by Harry Smith on CBS’s Early Show. On Wednesday, he will appear on NASCAR Now – ESPN’s first daily news and information show dedicated strictly to NASCAR.

Time for a Break … For the first time in 73 races, Bowyer will take a break from Busch Series competition. Over the last two seasons, Bowyer has earned three wins, 24 top-five and 39 top-10 finishes on NASCAR’s junior circuit. Bowyer and the No.2 BB&T Racing Team will return to the track in March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Meet the Driver … On behalf of Jack Daniel’s, Bowyer will appear at Fontana Racefest presented by Stater Bros. on Thursday, Feb. 22 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. The free event, which will take place in the all-new California FanZone, will feature a driver autograph session, musical entertainment, a live auction and interactive displays.

Are you Experienced … Bowyer will appear at the Jack Daniel’s Experience Sunday, Feb. 25 from 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. The Jack Daniel’s Experience will be located in the track’s midway area, outside the front straightaway, on speedway property. Autographs are limited due to time constraints and will be available on a first come, first serve basis.

Up to Speed … The Auto Club 500 from California Speedway will be televised live on FOX Sunday, Feb. 25 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for round two on the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series calendar is slated for Friday, Feb. 23 and will be televised on SPEED beginning at 5:30 p.m. EST.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES
You’ve been fairly successful at California and had your best finish in a Cup car there last fall. It seems like a track where you’re pretty comfortable.
“I really like California Speedway. I qualified well and finished third there last fall and I’m looking forward to getting back there this weekend. We’ve really stepped up our intermediate program at RCR and I feel like we still have room to build on what we have and be even better this year.”

Do you feel like that third-place finish last September kind of moved you guys closer to being on the verge of a win?
“I think so. I felt like toward the end of last year we were right where we needed to be. We were in position to win a race or two. That’s all you can do. Once you start running consistently in the top 10, you open the door for top fives and once you do that, you’re going to win a race.”