| Clint Bowyer, the 26 year old savvy racer | | | | countless championships throughout the years. |
| from Emporia, Kansas, started racing in | | | | He broke into the street stocks scene in 1996 |
| motocross at the young age of five. He was a | | | | at age 17 during the Thunderhill Speedway in |
| good on two wheels but soon discovered that | | | | Mayetta, Kansas. He counts that as one of his |
| he was even better on four wheels after his | | | | most memorable races because an angry |
| grandfather brought him to a dirt track in | | | | competitor had chased a flagman into a |
| Humboldt, Kansas. His father, Chris Bowyer, | | | | bathroom for 45 minutes and threatened to |
| wasn't very happy with his second son's | | | | crush the winner, only to then realize that |
| decision at first because the family had | | | | the winner was 17 years old. Dick Ross, who |
| already invested a lot of time and money into | | | | was tuning up Bowyer's engine that night, |
| motorcycles and the young Clint Bowyer had | | | | realized that Bowyer was made out of special |
| shown a lot of potential. His older brother, | | | | material when Bowyer managed to guide home a |
| Andy Bowyer, was racing motocross nationally. | | | | 50,000-pound fire truck, a 6-foot towing |
| Eventually, Chris Bowyer supported his young | | | | chain during a 10 mile stretch of two lane |
| son because of his enthusiasm. His mother | | | | highway in central Kansas without getting a |
| lays claim that they weren't in it to make | | | | scratch on the vehicle. |
| him a NASCAR star but rather they did it | | | | |
| because they enjoyed it as a family. After | | | | 4 years later, Bowyer went back to the |
| awhile, the whole family turned to four | | | | Thunderhill Speedway and won the 2000 |
| wheels and Chris even set up a shop in his | | | | Modified championship and finished second in |
| storage lot near his towing company in | | | | the Modified points at Lakeside Speedway. He |
| Emporia. Even until this day, his parents and | | | | continued to get 18 more wins, 32 top fives |
| their dog follow the Cup circuit in a motor | | | | in 40 starts en route to the 2001 Modified |
| home to show their support to Bowyer and it | | | | Championships at Lakeside Speedway and |
| has paid off. | | | | Heartland Park. After that he was made the |
| | | | 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Midwest |
| Because Bowyer's father had many drivers for | | | | Champion after another Modified Championship |
| customers, he would hang around race shops to | | | | at Lakeside Speedway and a Late Model crown |
| try and pick their brains. By the time he was | | | | at 1-70 Speedway in Odessa. Bowyer has gone |
| 15, he was driving short-bed Chevy pickup | | | | on to win a great many more championships |
| that he had put together with the spare parts | | | | when he began running for the NASCAR Busch |
| from his father's storage lot. He was also | | | | Series in 2004. |
| working at a Goodyear shop in middle school | | | | |
| to pick up the tools of the trade. From | | | | His parents are still in awe at how much |
| there, he was taught what made a person | | | | their son has achieved and they are still |
| successful with their cars. | | | | amazed when fans congratulate them. Although |
| | | | Bowyer now resides in North Carolina, he |
| Bowyer is a fierce competitor and the | | | | still enjoys going back home where people |
| markings of a winner was clear from the get | | | | still remember him as Clint and not the |
| go. He won and liked it. When he's on the | | | | NASCAR star. And like any Kansas native, he |
| race track, he's in it to win the trophy. | | | | believes that the best barbecues can't beat |
| Since racing at the age of five, Bowyer has | | | | Kansas City's barbecue. |
| gone on to achieve over 200 wins and | | | | |