Clint Bowyer No. 07 Event Preview

No. 07 DIRECTV Chevrolet Impala SS - Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: Centurion Boats at The Glen – August 10, 2008
Venue: Watkins Glen International – Watkins Glen, N.Y.

NOTES

* This Week’s DIRECTV Chevrolet Impala SS at Watkins Glen International … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 250 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for 2008, this is the same car Bowyer raced to a fourth-place finish in June at Infineon Raceway. 

* Dialed in with DIRECTV … This weekend, Bowyer’s No. 07 Chevy will feature a blue and white DIRECTV paint scheme. DIRECTV, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTV - News), the nation’s leading satellite television service provider, presents the finest television experience available to more than 16.8 million customers in the United States and is leading the HD revolution with 95 national HD channels – more quality HD channels than any other television provider. Each day, DIRECTV subscribers enjoy access to over 265 channels of 100 percent digital picture and sound, exclusive programming, industry-leading customer satisfaction , which has surpassed cable for seven years running, and superior technologies that include advanced DVR and HD-DVR services and the most state-of-the-art interactive sports packages available anywhere. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit DIRECTV.com. Jack Daniel’s, Bowyer’s traditional primary sponsor, will be featured on the car’s deck lid and lower-rear quarter panels. 

* Get Every Game, Every Sunday … The hood of Bowyer’s DIRECTV Chevy will also feature DIRECTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket programming package. NFL Sunday Ticket, only from DIRECTV, lets you watch every game every Sunday so you can follow your favorite team no matter where you live. Never miss a play again with 14 games each week from outside your local area, compared to only four on cable. That’s more than 200 games throughout the season. 

* Spin to Win with DIRECTV … DIRECTV will strategically place four Mobile Pit Boxes throughout the Watkins Glen infield, concourse and display areas for fans to enjoy a free preview of NASCAR HotPass™ Only on DIRECTV. At the Mobile Pit Boxes, fans also have the opportunity to play DIRECTV’s Spin to Win game. With one spin of the prize wheel, fans will win one of five great prizes: a DIRECTV hat, a DIRECTV diecast replica car, a free Fanview rental for the weekend, an exclusive DIRECTV offer, or the chance for an instant seat upgrade to the DIRECTV Zone. Winner’s who are upgraded to the DIRECTV Zone will enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the track from inside turn three, complete with catering and NASCAR HotPass™ Only on DIRECTV on one of nine flat-screen High Definition TVs. 

* Don’t Miss a Lap … Bowyer’s DIRECTV Chevy will be one of four cars featured on DIRECTV’s HotPass coverage this weekend at Watkins Glen. With two channels dedicated solely to the DIRECTV Chevrolet Impala SS during the Centurion Boats at the Glen, fans will be able to watch all the action through DIRECTV’s multiple camera angles, real-time car telemetry and listen to in-car audio communication. NASCAR HotPass™, only on DIRECTV, features four driver channels including dedicated announcers for each team. The service, combined with race day telecasts and NASCAR.com coverage, gives fans the most comprehensive and powerful NASCAR experience possible. Bowyer’s team will be showcased on DIRECTV in HD on channel 795 and in standard definition on channel 790. Every NASCAR race is now available in HD* — with a picture so crisp and lifelike viewers will "feel the thunder" in their living rooms. NASCAR HotPass™ in HD offers a full-sensory experience of being at the track, on pit rood and behind the wheel. Also new for 2008, NASCAR HotPass™ now has new enhanced audio features. Tune in to channel 795 during the race to view all the expanded options. 

* Childress, A Champion for Children … On Wednesday, July 30, RCR team owner Richard Childress, along with officials from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., announced the formation of what will become the nation’s most comprehensive Institute for Pediatric Trauma. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma will drastically increase the survival rate of critically injured children nationwide and will improve the quality of life for those who do not fully recover by focusing on five key areas: research, advocacy and public policy, medical professional education, prevention education, and a comprehensive rehabilitation facility. To learn more and help children across the nation by donating, please visit www.childresspediatrictrauma.org or call 866-635-8190. 

* Home Sweet Home … Two members of the DIRECTV Racing team call the Empire State home. Tina Yocono, scorer for the No. 07 team, grew up in nearby Holley, N.Y., located in Orleans County, just over 112 miles northwest of Watkins Glen International. Mechanic Jesse Goldin hails from Salamanca, approximately 117 miles west of the Glen. 

* Summing Up the Season … In the season’s first 21 events, Bowyer has earned one win (Richmond), four top fives, 10 top 10s and led 150 laps. He has recorded a 23.2 starting average to go along with a respectable 16th-place finishing average. The Emporia, Kan., native has completed 5,983 of the 6,052 laps (98.86 percent) run this season and sits 12th in points. Still, with a tightly bunched field inside the top 13, Bowyer is 11 points ahead of Matt Kenseth in 13th and eight points behind RCR teammate Kevin Harvick in 11th. Denny Hamlin is 10th, 35 ahead of Bowyer while Tony Stewart is ninth with a 57-point advantage. 

* Race to the Chase … This weekend’s Sprint Cup Series event at Watkins Glen marks the sixth “Race to the Chase” event – the 10-race stretch preceding the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which kicks off when NASCAR’s premier division returns to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September. Over the 10 “Race to the Chase” events last year (New Hampshire – Richmond), Bowyer posted one top-five and four top-10 finishes, notching an average finish of 14.3. His only finish outside the top 20 was at New Hampshire last July when he finished 37th after a freak incident on pit road cost Mr. Jack’s Crew eight laps. At this time last year, Bowyer was 10th in points – 684 markers behind then-leader Jeff Gordon. Currently, he is 12th in points – 547 back from current point leader Kyle Busch. 

* A Glance at the Glen … In two previous starts at Watkins Glen International, Bowyer’s 14th-place finish last August is his career-best at the 11-turn, 2.45-mile road course. He has a solid 12.5 starting average to go along with a 15th-place finishing average. Meanwhile, the Emporia, Kan., native has completed all 180 laps over those two starts. 

* Pocono Rewind … Last weekend, in the Sprint Cup Series’ second stop of the season at Pocono Raceway, Bowyer started 30th and went on to record a career-best, sixth-place finish at the triangular-shaped, 2.5-mile race course. It was Bowyer’s 10th top 10 of 2008 and halted a two-race skid of finishes of 19th or worse. 

* The Definitive RCR … In 21 races this season, RCR-prepared Sprint Cup Series entries have notched two wins (Jeff Burton – Bristol, Bowyer – Richmond), 11 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.,-based race team has completed 18,269 laps in 2008 with four different drivers including Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Ken Schrader. Meanwhile, RCR teams have logged 26,245 miles of competition this season and been on top of the leaderboard for 310 laps. Combined, all four RCR teams have earned just over $ 9.1 million in purse money this season. 

* RCR at the Glen … In 39 starts at Watkins Glen International, RCR boasts two wins (Harvick 2006 and Robby Gordon 2003), eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes with seven different drivers. Additionally, Dale Earnhardt won the pole three times (1990, ’92, ’96) at the high-speed, 11-turn central New York circuit. * Black Hills Rally … Bowyer flew directly from last week’s race at Pocono Raceway to Sturgis, S.D., for the 68th-annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills. Bowyer will return to North Carolina on Wednesday evening before heading to Watkins Glen on Thursday. 

* Testing, One, Two, Three, Testing … RCR’s No. 07 team tested at Nashville Superspeedway on Tuesday, August 5 to continue fine-tuning their mile-and-a-half program. * Keep on Rolling … Bowyer has been running at the end of every race dating back to Phoenix in November 2006, a streak of 58 races. The only other driver running at the end of more consecutive races is Harvick who extended his own modern-era (1972-present) streak last weekend at Pocono by finishing his 65th consecutive race without recording a DNF (did not finish). 

* Catching Up With Clint … Bowyer will be available for interviews inside the Watkins Glen media center on Friday, August 8 at 11:10 a.m. 

* Twice the Fun … In addition to his duties behind the wheel of the DIRECTV Chevrolet Impala SS, Bowyer returns to the seat of the No. 2 BB&T Chevy Monte Carlo SS for this weekend’s Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Live coverage of the 24th of 35 races on the 2008 Nationwide Series schedule will be televised live on ABC Saturday, August 9 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on ESPN2 the same day beginning at 10 a.m. EDT. Bowyer is the championship leader on NASCAR’s junior circuit and paces second-place Carl Edwards by 168 points. 

* Sunday, Sunday, Sunday … The Centurion Boats at the Glen from Watkins Glen International will take the green flag Sunday, August 10 at 2 p.m. EDT. The race will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 1 p.m. EDT and broadcast from coast-to-coast on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 22nd points-paying race on the 36-race Sprint Cup Series tour will be televised live on ESPN2 Friday, August 8 at 3 p.m. EDT.

• CLINT BOWYER QUOTES

Even though the two cars are so much different the laps in the BB&T Chevy should help you on the Cup Side in the DIRECTV Impala SS.

“Absolutely. Laps are laps on a road course. The more familiar you are with the race track, the better off you’ll be.”

Do you think this weekend is good opportunity for you to make up some points?

“A road course is definitely an opportunity to make up or lose a lot of ground. You have to make sure you’re on the taking side of things there.”

Do you feel like you’re a little underrated when it comes to road racing? Does that bother you at all?

“Not a bit. Results speak for themselves. We just need to go out there and make it happen.”

What’s the biggest difference for you between Sonoma and Watkins Glen?

“You carry so much more speed at Watkins Glen than you do at Sonoma. Sonoma is a lot tighter and a lot more technical. Watkins Glen is a lot more wide open and you carry lots of speed.”