A full-time broadcasting career is ahead for Emporia native Clint Bowyer when his racing career ends this fall.
Bowyer announced via Twitter his plans to retire at the end of the current season to join the Fox broadcast booth next year. He was a regular analyst on the NASCAR Xfinity Series earlier this season and also was part of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series during the early part of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bowyer’s NASCAR career began in 2005 with one start, but he joined the top circuit full-time the following year with Richard Childress Racing. He had his first win in 2007 at New Hampshire and finished third overall. His best year was 2012, when he won three times, had 10 top-5 finishes and ended the season second as part of the now-defunct Michael Waltrip Racing team.
Bowyer joined Stewart-Haas in 2017 and followed with a big 2018, with two wins and nine top-5 finishes. Despite not finishing in the winner’s circle the past two seasons, Bowyer had nine top-5 finishes combined in 2019 and 2020.
Bowyer also spent several years in what’s now called the NASCAR Xfinity Series, winning the title in 2008, and he won three races on NASCAR’s Truck series as well, but his career started in the mid-1980s on dirt tracks with motorcycles and cars.
Bowyer was also known for giving back to the Emporia community through the work of his 79 Fund, which generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for child-friendly and family-friendly projects, and the construction of the Clint Bowyer Community Building.
Retirement statement from Clint Bowyer
{gallery}Bowyer retirement letter{/gallery}
