Bowyer, Michael Waltrip Racing announce three-year deal

Bowyer, Michael Waltrip Racing announce three-year deal

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(October 7, 2011)

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—An official confirmation of the worst-kept secret in NASCAR came Friday at Kansas Speedway—Clint Bowyer has signed a three-year deal to drive for the man he once called "the worst driver in NASCAR."

"Did you say that I was the worst ever driver—ever—or just during that era?" quipped Michael Waltrip, owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, which added Bowyer as a third driver on a roster that already includes Martin Truex Jr. and David Reutimann.

Boyer made that comment after a run-in with Waltrip during a 2008 race at Bristol. Now, with 5-Hour Energy on board as primary sponsor for 24 races in each of the next three years, Bowyer will drive for Waltrip.

"You never know when you're going to have to eat those words, and it looks like today's the day," Bowyer replied. "But he promised me he'd be the best owner ever."

Bowyer will move to MWR for the start of the 2012 season after six full seasons with Richard Childress Racing that so far have included four victories in 210 starts and three appearances in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"It's a big day for me," Bowyer said. "Obviously, I've been with RCR since day one. I owe a lot to Richard (Childress), but it's time to move on, and today's the day."

In fact, Bowyer tried to engineer a deal with 5-Hour Energy and RCR. When those negotiations failed to bear fruit, he and the sponsor looked elsewhere. At MWR—at least at the outset—Bowyer will be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

"I just see this as a wonderful opportunity for me to prove myself to everybody," Bowyer said. "When you go to an RCR that has already won many championships and has had the success Richard's had, you're just kind of another guy there."

Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development U.S.A., sees the acquisition of Bowyer as an important move for MWR.

"Hopefully, it'll get them one step closer to planting a driver in the Chase—and maybe not just Clint," White said. "I expect Clint to be a bit of a leader there. The question was asked about No. 1s and No. 2s (drivers). That doesn't really exist, but no one disputes the fact that certain drivers take leadership positions in organizations.

"There are drivers that step up and lead the group and set the tone and grab it by the shorts and jerk it up. I think Clint can do that. He's obviously a cheerleader, just by watching him. He's fast, and I expect nothing but good things to come out of this announcement."

With a 24-race commitment from 5-Hour Energy, there is still inventory available on Bowyer's car. The Sprint Cup schedule includes 36 points races and two exhibition races, the Budweiser Shootout and Sprint All-Star Race.

"We looked forward to this announcement becoming public knowledge, so that we could begin the pursuit to put some more folks on the car with Clint," Waltrip said.

Bowyer will drive the No. 15 Toyota for MWR. That car number enjoys a rich history in Cup racing, including a long tenure with owner Bud Moore. Dale Earnhardt Sr. won races with that number, and, driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Waltrip twice won the Daytona 500 in the No. 15.

"It was obviously good to Michael," Bowyer said of the car number. "I'm big on Daytona—that's one of my favorite racetracks—and that number was pretty good to him there. Hopefully, we can get us one—one of these days."

The choice of car number wasn't an agonizing decision.

"When (Earnhardt) hired me to drive his car, he had 16 on (Ron) Hornaday's truck, and he said, 'Do you want to be 16?'" Waltrip said. "I said, 'I don't really like 16. Didn't you win in Bud Moore's car?' He said, 'Yeah, 15.' I said, 'I like that.' He said, 'OK, we'll be 15 then.'

"That decision was made like that, and this one was the same way. Clint's like '15's cool.'"