By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
It took a while for Clint Bowyer to verbalize his emotions but after a slew of “Woo’s” and “Yeah’s,” we received a real look at how special victory can be.
In Monday’s STP 500 from Martinsville Speedway, Bowyer took control in the latter half, leading 215 laps on the day in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. He capped off the performance with his first win in 190 races, dating back to the fall of 2012 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“Something just felt right about this weekend,” Bowyer said. “To make sure it happened here, it meant a lot to me to be able to put it all together at this track. Being able to go out and have your nerves run through the roof, your legs are shaking with 10 [laps] to go. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that anxiety, that much emotion.
“I wanted that damn clock.”
Though five years and change is a long time, one thing never changed for the Kansas native: desire. After controversy at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2013, the team’s collapse in 2015 and a struggle of a year with HScott Motorsports in 2016, Bowyer was more than ready for one more top opportunity in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
That came in 2017 when the 38-year-old was tapped to replace Tony Stewart at the two-time championship organization of SHR. The results were solid in Bowyer’s first year in the No. 14, however, he suffered another winless season (his fifth straight) and he failed to make the playoffs.
“All you guys were hard on us last year and we learned a lot,” he said. “I learned a lot about myself. Buga [crew chief Mike Bugarewicz] and I, we fought a lot. There’s no question, we fought a lot. But there was no questioning of the passion we had and the desire to get my old ass back in Victory Lane.”
With young drivers coming left and right in this sport, Bowyer was especially appreciative to get that call from team owner Tony Stewart.
“Finally getting lined up with a race-winning team but a championship-winning team, that’s’ where the frustration started to set in,” he said of 2017. “And the worry. That’s where you start panicking. I’m not going to lie, everybody knows last year, that was a lot of panic on my behalf, everyone’s behalf. We’re expected to perform, we had this opportunity, we just couldn’t put it together.”
And people were watching. Aside from the millions of fans, Bowyer had a champion team owner in Stewart behind him along with his growing family and successful teammates. One of which Kevin Harvick, who already has won three races this season.
“It’s hard to watch your teammates have all that success,” he said. “Yeah, we had a good run, but it still fuels that fire.”
Joining Harvick on the winner’s list this year, Bowyer sat proudly with son Cash on his lap as he soaked up victory in Virginia.
“You start to realize whats important in life,” he said. “The one thing I didn’t want [Cash] to go through life with is not to know what this is all about. To have our Victory Lane, that was pretty cool.”
Bowyer texted Stewart Monday morning to affirm his owner that he had a race win in pocket. Confidence sure is a powerful thing.
“I’m telling you this year… racing is fun again,” he said. “I wish I could show you my text message to Tony Stewart this morning. He told me all the things I needed to do, he knows my demeanor and everything. The normal Tony Stewart text.
“I told him, ‘Don’t worry about it. This S.H.I.T. is fun again.’ It is fun to be in this equipment, it’s fun to be alongside our teammates. I appreciate this opportunity more than it’s hard to say. Everyone knows I run my mouth, but I appreciate this opportunity.”
The SHR team gave him a chance and Bowyer was finally able to give them a checkered flag. But this win spans back even further for Bowyer.
“When I get to my phone, it will be people from Richard Childress who gave me this opportunity to Michael Waltrip,” he said. “Fast-forward to Tony and everyone I got to share the stage with today. Those are the cool things you’ll remember forever.”
“Remembering” this victory may be questionable with Bowyer’s semi-planned celebrations this week leading into the off-weekend and Easter holiday.
“Going to the hospital, that would be a safer measure for me right now,” Bowyer joked. “Jumping whatever ambulance that’s here and begging them to take me to the hospital. Thank God there is an off-weekend. Do we have to go to Texas?”