By Jim Pedley
The Kansas City Star
May 16, 2008 05:32 am
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A lot has changed for Clint Bowyer during the last five years. Things like the cars he drives, the places he races and the speeds he goes.
One thing that has not changed is his motivation. Bowyer, a native of Emporia, Kan., still loves to compete, and he still likes to win money.
This weekend, there will be plenty of both motivations as Bowyer makes his debut appearance in the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.
He said it's a big moment for his career.
"For me, to finally be guaranteed a starting spot and not have to qualify my way in is exciting," Bowyer said. "It's very important to be in the show."
There are a couple of ways drivers can earn entry into Saturday's race, which is a nonpoints race that has been held every year since 1985.
Drivers and team owners who won races in 2007 and through the first 11 events this year get automatic entry. Bowyer, who won at New Hampshire last year and at Richmond two weeks ago, got in that way.
Series champions from the last 10 years who continue to be active drivers, and past winners of the all-star race, also get automatic entry.
Two more two spots in Saturday's field will be filled by drivers who finish first and second in the Sprint Showdown, which is a qualifying race run just before the all-star race.
The final spot will be filled by the winner of the Sprint fan vote.
The all-star race itself consists of four 25-lap segments this season.
With no points on the line, drivers say the racing can get a bit bizarre.
"We put on a race for them where we're not worried about points," Tony Stewart said. "We're all hanging it out every lap, instead of three-quarters of the way through the season, where some guys are hanging it out while others are points racing. It's good to have one evening where we all just get up on the wheel and put on a good show for the fans."
Ad then there's the dough. The winner of the race will get a check for $1 million.
That's a unique kind of payday for a driver.
"Growing up racing dirt cars, you always went where the money was at," Bowyer said. "You always wanted to race the big-money shows. That's where it was, and still is at. Everybody who was anybody would show up at the big-money races in the Midwest. That's what it's all about."
Some say because the drivers -- many of them, anyway -- are already millionaires, the prize money doesn't mean that much to them.
Guess again, Bowyer said.
"You'll do some pretty crazy things for a million bucks," he said. "Some wild things have happened at Lowe's Motor Speedway because of that."
All the talk about people racing their guts out in the all-star race made Denny Hamlin wince.
He said it sends a bad message.
"I think the whole idea that you are throwing caution to the wind is played up a little too much," Hamlin said. "It almost makes it seem like we are all out there taking it easy on the average weekend. Coming off Darlington last weekend, I can assure there was nothing easy about it. The fact that we are not racing for points makes a difference when it comes to taking little risks here and there over the course of the race."
Darlington, however, did not pay a million to win, and Bowyer wants that money.
"Obviously, the all-star race, with $1 million to win, that's what we've got our sights set on," Bowyer said. "It's a go-for-broke deal, and that's what everyone comes to see."
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