CLINT BOWYER No. 15 5-HOUR ENERGY TOYOTA / BRISTOL PREVIEW

Clint Bowyer

CORNELIUS, N.C. March 12, 2014 – Rome has its Colosseum and so does the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit. Bristol Motor Speedway self-titled its .533-mile oval, the “last great Colosseum.” Clint Bowyer and the rest of NASCAR travel there this weekend ready to do battle.

Bowyer has said in the past: “It’s just one of my favorite racetracks – it always has been. Whether you get caught up in something or not, whether you get a bad finish or a good finish – it’s just a colosseum.”

The concrete track, which opened in 1961, may not be as old as its Italian counterpart, which was completed in AD 72. But both have played host to epic battles in front of raucous crowds, Rome with seating for approximately 55,000 and the Tennessee-track with more than a 100,000 seat capacity.

All those eyes will be on the competitors this weekend. Not only does Bowyer like the track, he knows how to get around the “bullring.” He finished in the top 10 in half of the 16 races he has run and was leading in the fall when a lapped car took him out of contention.

Bowyer is ready to bring his No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota to the battle. Sunday will show who else was ready.

How do you think qualifying will be at Bristol?

“Qualifying has been pretty intense the last couple of weeks. We’ve actually been pretty decent. I made a trip to the media center last Friday (to talk with media after qualifying third) so we must be doing something right. But I’m looking forward to the bullring. I like Bristol. It should be pretty hairy out there for qualifying again.”

What’s your outlook going into Bristol?

“We’ve been fast off the truck every week. I expect the same this weekend. We’ve just got to execute a little better and learn from our mistakes. We had a great 5-hour ENERGY Toyota last weekend. We were running sixth there at the end and unfortunately, I hit the wall. But we’ve had speed every week at the track so far and that’s important. We almost won this thing last time and I got taken out by a lap car when I was leading. I love this little track. It’s going to be a good show.”

CREW CHIEF BRIAN PATTIE

How awould you ssess the season so far?

“Our finishes may not show it, but we are running well. We’ve had speed every weekend. We just need to make sure we finish as good as we’ve been running. Bristol is a good track for Clint and the 5-hour ENERGY Toyota. We’ve run top five there almost every race. The trophy is cool there and at Martinsville and we usually run well at both places. We’re going to try to get us one of them the next few weeks.”

 

 

 

 

CLINT BOYER No. 15 5-HOUR ENERGY TOYOTA / PHOENIX PREVIEW

CORNELIUS, N.C. – February 26, 2014 –  A visit to Phoenix International Raceway located in the “Valley of the Sun” presents the perfect opportunity for Clint Bowyer and the No.15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota to shine this weekend.

Clint Bowyer

A mechanical failure under the hood prematurely ended Bowyer’s run in the season-opening Daytona 500 last weekend leaving him with a 41st-place finish, a somewhat unusual spot for the driver who ranked second or third in the driver points standings for 12 of the 26 weeks in the “regular season” last year.

But Phoenix has been kind to Bowyer, who just missed visiting victory lane in April 2008, finishing second to Jimmie Johnson. In this race last year he finished sixth. With a new qualifying procedure in place, things may heat up at the one-mile desert oval as drivers battle for a top starting spot.

Bowyer on qualifying: “That had become stale and it needed help. There’s no way getting around it. I think our Fridays were somewhat stale and I think it’s going to add a new element of excitement — who knows what’s going to happen. I really think that you’re going to see that. I think moving through those segments you’re going to see people make a quick adjustment and tune themselves right into the game or more importantly tune themselves right out of the game. There’s going to be a lot of moving parts and it’s going to be something that’s going to be interesting to follow on qualifying day. I don’t think you’ve ever really said that before. It’s going to be cool.”

Crew Chief Brian Pattie on the new qualifying procedure: “I think it’s going to be exciting for everyone, not just the fans. Knock out qualifying was enjoyable to watch in other series and I don’t think it will be any different for us. If anything I think it may be beneficial for the 5-hour ENERGY Toyota.”

Bowyer on Phoenix:  “Phoenix is a good indicator of who has their stuff together to start the season. Daytona is sort of its own deal. The next few weeks we will see who some of the contenders will be. We go to Phoenix– a short track and then 1.5-mile the next week at Las Vegas. We tested the 5-hour ENERGY Toyota a lot in the off season at places like New Smyrna so I’m ready to get this baby on track this weekend at Phoenix and put Daytona behind us.”