LONG POND, Pa. -- Some of the drivers in the hunt for the
Chase are household names, mixing in winning races with radio gigs,
photos on the pages of gossip magazines, and known by one-word
nicknames.
Then there's Clint Bowyer.
The media spotlight and massive fan base isn't the only part of
racing that separates Bowyer from some of the other heavyweights in
the top 12. Bowyer has yet to find a way to Victory Lane.
Not this year. Not ever in a Nextel Cup race.
"It would mean a lot to win anywhere, I don't care where we're
at," Bowyer said.
Bowyer might best be remembered for skidding across the finish
line with his car upside down and on fire in this year's Daytona
500.
As much as Bowyer wants to win -- and taking the checkered flag
at Pocono Raceway would provide a needed boost -- what he really
hopes for is to keep a spot in the top 12 when the 10-race Chase
begins.
"We have to stay consistent and keep doing what we're doing
because that's what got us this far," Bowyer said before
qualifying Friday. "Hopefully, that will get us in the Chase. I
think that will be good enough to get us in the Chase if we don't
have any trouble."
Bowyer has found little of that this season, finishing all 20
races and avoiding the costly crashes or faulty parts failures that
have seemed to plague nearly every other driver. But his season has
been far from spectacular, with one top five finish (Sonoma) and
only 79 laps led.
That's been enough to keep him in contention, but not a serious
threat for the title.
"We've got to find that next step where we're running in the
top five, finishing in the top five and racing for a win," Bowyer
said. "We've ran in the top five several times, we just haven't
gotten that finish."
Bowyer is stumped why he can't drive the No. 07 Chevrolet to
Victory Lane. But if he has any shot of competing for the
championship, his Richard Childress Racing team needs to find a
quick answer.
"We have to get in the top five. We have to start racing for
wins," he said.
While the drivers' point totals were reset in five-point
increments when the postseason began in previous seasons, all
drivers' totals this year will be reset to 5,000, and each will
receive a 10-point bonus for each victory during the first 26
races.
"The big thing is to get as many wins as you can get before the
Chase starts to get those bonus points," said Tony Stewart, fifth
in the standings. "Whether you're first or 12th it doesn't matter.
It's how many races can you win and get those 10 extra bonus
points."
That puts Bowyer at a severe disadvantage if he keeps his place
in the field over the next six races. Bowyer and Dale Earnhardt
Jr., who sits in the 12th and final spot, are the only two drivers
in the field who haven't won a race this season, which would put
them in the back of the field.
The field also was expanded from 10 to 12 drivers this year.
"Once you get in that Chase, you better start running for a
championship and win a championship," Bowyer said. "Hopefully we
can find what we're missing there and start going for broke."
With former champs like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth
and Jimmie Johnson all in the top 12, Bowyer would be chasing the
title against an experienced group that knows how to win down the
stretch.
"You're part of an elite group," Bowyer said. "You've been
given that opportunity. Now you've got to take care of it."
Maybe a Nextel Cup title will force people to pay attention to
Bowyer. With Junior talking to a mosh pit of media only four
haulers down on Friday, Bowyer amicably chatted in front of a a
couple of cameras and maybe seven or eight writers.
So far, the notoriety has eluded the Kansan as much as a trip to
Victory Lane.
"It doesn't bother me one bit," Bowyer said.
Bowyer finished with four top fives last season, but lacked the
overall consistency he's had this season, and finished 17th in the
final standings.
Bowyer said he predicted that this would be the season he would
finish in the Chase, and maybe even gain some attention from the
NASCAR community. He's not even the biggest name in the RCR stable
with most of the attention focused on veterans Kevin Harvick and
Jeff Burton.
Burton is fourth in the standings.
"When we're struggling, they'll come over and help me out," he
said.
Only next week's race on the road course at Watkins Glen
concerns Bowyer over the final six races. He keeps an eye on the
standings and knows the fight for the final few spots is so tight
that only one or two bad races over the final six of the "regular
season" could knock him out of a spot.
Nothing would be sweeter for Bowyer than winning his first race
and championship in the same season.
"If you're not one of those 12 cars come Chase time, you're
working on next year," he said.