Clint Bowyer 2013 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
Clint Bowyer 2012 Stats: Points Finish – 2nd, 3 Wins, 10 Top Fives, 23 Top Tens, Average Running Position 11.8, Average Finish 10.9, Laps Led 388, Driver Rating 96.5
Strengths – Clint Bowyer’s greatest strength is his consistency. He does a good job avoiding trouble and isn’t hard on equipment. When you combine that trait with his talent you have a very dangerous driver. Also last year Clint Bowyer was one of the best in the business when it came to playing the fuel mileage game.
Weaknesses – Clint Bowyer visited victory lane at an intermediate track last year but compared to the other track types I would consider it an area of weakness.
ifantasyrace.com recommends a subscription to FantasyRacingCheatSheet.com
Intermediate Track Grade- B+, It took Clint Bowyer seven years but in 2012 he finally won his first race on an intermediate track. Last year Clint Bowyer ranked as the 8th best driver on this track type. In seventeen races he had 10 top tens but just 3 top five finishes. That top five total is why I say it’s an area of weakness. He needs to do better than that because these tracks make up the core of the schedule. Last season in these races Jimmie Johnson outscored him by 56 points.
Flat Track Grade- A-, When it comes to the shorter flat tracks Clint Bowyer is just about as good as it gets. After flat track ace Denny Hamlin he should be on your short list of who to pick next. At New Hampshire he’s a two-time winner who had finishes of 3rd and 4th last season. His finishes at Phoenix weren’t good last year which could increase his fantasy value there because people might overlook him. In the spring race at Phoenix he had multiple tire problems and in the fall race he was running in the top five until he had his incident with Jeff Gordon.
Last season at the big flat tracks Bowyer finished in the top eight in both Pocono races and finished 15th at Indy. From a career perspective I think it’s best to expect a low double-digit finish from him on the big flats.
Facebook.com/ifantasyrace <– I LIKE IT
Short Track Grade- A, Last season Clint Bowyer was the top short track driver in the series. He scored the most points, won at Richmond and was the only driver who finished in the top ten in every race. His average finish for the year was 5.6. In 2013 I wouldn’t mind having Bowyer on my team at any short track. He does a good job taking care of his equipment and he’s almost always there at the end when the points are awarded. Also now that Jeff Gordon has it out of his system he’s an even safer fantasy pick. In terms of ranking his best short track I would go 1)Richmond , 2)Martinsville and then 3)Bristol.
Restrictor Plate Track Grade- A-, Clint Bowyer is one of the best drafters in NASCAR. He’s been especially strong at Talladega. Since 2010 I would argue no driver has been better than him there. In the last six races there he’s finished in the top ten in every race except for last fall. In the second race of 2012 he was leading on the Green White Checker restart but was shuffled back when be dodged Matt Kenseth who was coming down the track on him.
It’s important to note his fantasy value isn’t as high at Daytona. Since the July 2010 race he hasn’t finished in the top ten and has a 22.0 average finish.
If Bowyer was graded at Talladega alone I would give him an A++. Because of his recent Daytona struggles I have to grade him down to an A-.
Twitter.com/ifantasyrace <— I do my own tweets!
Road Course Track Grade- A-, Before last season Clint Bowyer was an underrated road course driver. In 2012 he solidified himself as one of the best. Last season on these serpentine tracks Clint Bowyer was the best in the series. He won at Infineon and finished 4th at Watkins Glen. From a career perspective he’s always been good at Infineon. In seven starts at that track he’s managed to finish in the top ten in five of them (9.7 avg finish). He hasn’t been as good at Watkins Glen. His 4th place finish last season was just his second top ten finish there.
How to use from a Fantasy NASCAR Perspective in 2013? In 2013 I would focus on using Clint Bowyer at short flat tracks, short tracks, road courses and Talladega.
[button link=”http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/drivers/clint-bowyer/26″ style=”tick”]Clint Bowyer FantasyRacingcheatsheet.com Page[/button]