Clint Bowyer
Clint Bowyer - NSCS No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet Impala SS/Richard Childress Racing
No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes
This Weekend’s BB&T Chevrolet Impala at Atlanta Motor Speedway … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 310 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new in 2010, Bowyer drove this Chevrolet Impala to fourth-place finish in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.
Atlanta Stats … In nine NSCS starts at AMS, Bowyer has recorded four sixth-place finishes and holds a 16.4 average finish at the 1.54-mile oval, 11th best among active drivers. The two-time NSCS race winner has completed all but seven laps contested (99.8 percent) and has led 58 laps at the Hampton, Ga., facility.
Lucky Number for Chase … Bowyer can clinch a berth into this season’s Chase for the Sprint Cup by finishing seventh or better in the next two events, even if Jamie McMurray or Mark Martin individually lead the most laps and win back-to-back races.
Last Time Around … The last time NASCAR’s senior tour raced at Atlanta, Bowyer and the No. 33 BB&T team finished 23rd as a cut left-rear tire, following late-race contact, flattened their chances at a potential top-10 finish. A late-race caution, while Bowyer was running fifth, gave the No. 33 team the opportunity to gamble on taking right-side tires. Although the decision gave Bowyer the lead for the first of two attempts at a green, white, and checkered finish, the two tires were no match against the four fresh tires of others. The No. 33 Impala faded to fifth before being collected in a multi-car accident. After repairs were made to Bowyer’s machine, he managed to pick off three positions over the final two laps to finish 23rd.
Stacking Up … Here is how Bowyer ranks against his competition through the first 24 races of the 2010 season…
BB&T Colors Return … The burgundy, gold and white colors of BB&T will adorn RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet this weekend at AMS. The Winston Salem, N.C.,-based corporation will also be the primary sponsor for the Shane Wilson-led team for the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway races in October.
Rearview Mirror … Bowyer and the No. 33 Hamburger Helper Chevrolet team earned a fourth-place finish, after starting 24th, in the IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway two weeks ago. With two races remaining until the Chase for the Sprint Cup field is set, Bowyer is 12th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings and holds a 100-point advantage over McMurray in 13th.
Double Duty in Hotlanta … In addition to driving the No. 33 Chevrolet in the NSCS race on Sunday night, Bowyer will pilot the No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet Impala in Friday’s Great Clips 300. The race will be broadcast on ESPN2, the Performance Racing Network and SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio beginning at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
CLINT BOWYER QUOTES:
What do you think of Atlanta losing a date?
“I’m bummed out about that. Atlanta is one of my favorite race tracks. It’s a fun track and the fans are great there.”
Do you think if the Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski deal did not happen, you would have finished better than 23rd at Atlanta in March?
“Yes, I would have ended up fifth. (Laughs) In fact, I was running fifth when that all went down in front of me. It seems like that is the way our year has gone. There is a reason for every bad finish we’ve had this season. I know everyone has a reason for a bad finish, but I think every bad finish we’ve had, except for one race, something bogus happened around us. That’s the frustrating thing about our season this year. Last year, there were a lot of bad finishes where you would say, ‘boy, we were terrible all weekend.’ But, this year, we have been upfront, running well and leading more laps than we ever have. Things have been good this year, but we haven’t been able to get the finishes that we deserve in a lot of places.”
From looking at the statistics, guys who have dirt track experience seem to run well at Atlanta. Why is that?
