Kansas win would be ‘gratifying’ for Bowyer

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — For Clint Bowyer, a win at Kansas Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series would be a big deal.

Retired driver Carl Edwards, who considered Kansas Speedway his home track, said a possible win at the facility would have been as big as the Daytona 500 to him.  

Bowyer, a native of nearby Emporia, Kan., shared his thoughts when he was asked if he shared the same feelings as Edwards.

“It would be a big deal, probably not the Daytona 500, but to be able to win at home is a big deal,” Bowyer said to The Racing Experts. “I’d love nothing more to be able to do that.

“There’s one big daddy in our sport and when you win that one, it makes careers. Literally, there’s guys that are 50, 60 years old that won the Daytona 500 and are still alive in the sport, still racing to this day, because of that one win.

“But for me, yes, there’s no track that would mean more to you than Kansas Speedway. To your career, obviously it’s the 500.”

Bowyer has six top-10 finishes in 20 Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile racetrack. His best finish was a second-place run in 2007.

“So many emotions for so many different reasons that would be gratifying,” Bowyer said about a possible win Sunday. “Being home, being with family and friends and everything that this area means to me.

“The fan following, the people that helped me hone my skills over there at Lakeside or I-70 Speedway. These are the guys I raced against to learn what it is I do and made me the racer that I am. Those are all the reasons it would be gratifying to win at home.”

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver will start the Hollywood Casino 400 in 14th position.

Bowyer holds the sixth position in the championship standings, 21 points ahead of Brad Keselowski in ninth, the first driver outside the playoff cutline.

Sunday’s race is the last in the Round of 12 and four drivers will be eliminated from playoff contention.

Jonathan Fjeld contributed to this report.

SOURCES
Ford Performance
Racing-Reference.info