Clint Bowyer cashes in on opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing

FONTANA, Calif. — Clint Bowyer was miserable in a stopgap season last year with now-defunct HScott Motorsports. So he uses every quip and diversion at his disposal to avoid the topic now that things have gotten much better.

“Fixed it,” he said Sunday when a question veered in the general direction.

Fortunately for Bowyer, he has an increasing amount of fresh and jolly developments to discuss. Five races into his career with Stewart-Haas Racing as the replacement for retired three-time champion and co-owner Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Ford, Bowyer has shown signs of reinvigorating a flattened career.

Bowyer’s third-place finish Sunday in the Auto Club 400 was his first top-five since the August race at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2015, Bowyer’s final season with now-defunct Michael Waltrip Racing. His last third-place finish was at Sonoma earlier that year, and his most recent win came at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October 2012, when he finished the season as series runner-up.

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Bowyer had three top-10s and finished 27th in points in a woeful 2016 campaign, as he awaited his greatest opening since breaking into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing in 2006.

“It’s just the opportunity you’ve been waiting on,” said Bowyer, who had Stewart on his radio most of the afternoon. “Everybody knows the situation. You know, this opportunity, this is something I signed up for a year and a half ago. I’ve been champing at the bit to be with an organization like this, to have an army of people behind you like this, the teammates, the sponsors we have, the manufacturer in Ford, all of that.

“It’s the total package at Stewart-Haas Racing, which is why they’ve won a championship (in 2014 with Kevin Harvick) and win all these races that we see. That’s what you thrive to be a part of. Finally got my opportunity to be there.”

After opening the season with a crash in the Daytona 500, Bowyer, 37, produced an 11th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, 10th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and was 13th at Phoenix Raceway before Sunday.

Follow James on Twitter @brantjames

PHOTOS: BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH CLINT BOWYER