2014 Driver Reviews: No. 19 Clint Bowyer

After doing exit interviews for Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2013, we’re turning the tables. We want the drivers to sell themselves. So here are the resumés for all full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2014. Then, at the end, we’ll provide a summation of the driver’s season in 150 words or less.

Name: Clint Bowyer

NASCAR Experience: Nine full seasons in the Sprint Cup Series including eight wins. 2008 Nationwide Series champion.

Most recent team: Michael Waltrip Racing

Most recent season finish: 19th

2014 accomplishments: Three was the luckiest number … three times. Twice it happened at Talladega, where third place finishes were accomplished in the spring and the fall. The other was at Richmond in September, where 2013 was exorcised. Right? Right?

Most memorable moment: It didn’t count for anything in the standings, but this flip at the Budweiser Duels before the Daytona 500. And during the Daytona 500, the engine in the car went to crap not long after the race resumed after a lengthy rain delay.

Strengths: Has wins at all types of tracks: short tracks, road courses, intermediate tracks and superspeedways. Proven championship contender.

2015 goals: Win a stinking race for the first time since 2012 and make the Chase. Continue to find new ways to utilize flamethrower.

FTM’s Take: If you believe in the curse of finishing in second place in the Cup standings, you can excuse away Bowyer’s 2013 as a cursed season. However, that doesn’t explain 2014, though it’s not too hard to figure out the simple explanation for his woes over the past year. As MWR went down to two cars, the organization wasn’t as fast as it was in 2013 and 2012.

Bowyer needs the team to figure it out – if there was a better data-sharing agreement between MWR and Joe Gibbs Racing, he may be the biggest beneficiary. He’s one of the better all-around drivers in the Cup Series and there’s nothing wrong from a NASCAR PR standpoint of more Bowyer TV time. Dude’s one of the most colorful drivers around.

Previous reviews: No. 20, Austin Dillon, No. 21 Paul Menard, No. 22 Brian Vickers, No. 23 Marcos Ambrose, No. 24 Martin Truex Jr., No. 25 Tony Stewart, No. 26 Casey Mears, No. 27 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 28, Danica Patrick, No. 29, Justin Allgaier, No. 30, David Gilliland, No. 31 Cole Whitt, No. 32 David Ragan, No. 33 Michael Annett, No. 34 Reed Sorenson, No. 35 Alex Bowman