By Jerry Jordan. Editor
CONCORD, N.C. – Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman want to put the altercation between them following the NASCAR All-Star race last weekend behind them but Newman said he won’t forget Bowyer running up to his car, still wearing his race helmet and unleashing a flurry of punches before he could get out and defend himself.
The two drivers had a much-anticipated sponsor appearance Thursday for fans at Bass Pro Shops inside Concord Mills Mall. When everyone arrived there were two tables – separated by several feet – for Bowyer and Newman to sit at. Rather than letting the post-race issue fester, Newman told Bowyer to come over and the two signed autographs elbow-to-elbow for dozens of fans. What others didn’t know was the two had already talked.
“Yeah, we were there for the fans, not for each other,” Newman said. “We talked before that deal happened. It was good to, kind of, clear the air. It is what it is. It’s the past, just something you always remember. You learn about someone in a situation like that.”
Newman said a bunch of fans showed up for the autograph session and that Bowyer sat at a different table but he invited him over – a decision that caught many off-guard and may have taken Bowyer by surprise.
Asked if Bowyer was still wearing his helmet, Newman said, “I think there was a point where he may have wanted, or thought he needed one but we’re good. We’re good. It’s fine.”
“We’re as good as two drivers are after a situation like that,” Newman added. “I don’t know that you say ‘that’s good’ but it was good that we got a chance to talk. We were there for the fans, not each other. We talked before that (the fan event) deal happened.”
Bowyer, who spoke to the media shortly after Newman did, explained he looks back on the situation with a little bit of regret and wasn’t even thinking about his helmet. He said it wasn’t the image he wanted to portray because he has kids and that he got caught up in the heat of the moment.
“As far as the helmet and stuff like that goes, man, when you’re that pissed off, let me tell you something, I am not sure I knew I had a helmet on my head,” Bowyer said. “I knew that I was hoping that he didn’t, you know what I mean, and that is not something to be proud of. You know, I’ve got children and I’ve got a family and, man, I don’t condone stuff like that. I don’t like doing that. I don’t believe in it but, you know, it happened, right. This is passion, this is my jobs. This is my way of life and when something gets dangerous like that, yeah, it’s scary and you bite back.”
Bowyer said the two will be “fine” after their conversation and it all came to a head because of the events that happened after the checkered flag had fallen in the All-Star race. He said the two of them have raced for years with no issues.