NASCAR: Clint Bowyer confirmed at Stewart-Haas Racing for 2020

Stewart-Haas Racing have confirmed that Clint Bowyer is set to return to the team for the fourth year in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Confirming previous speculation, Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed Thursday that Clint Bowyer is set to return to the team in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season as the driver of the #14 Ford.

The 2020 season is set to be Bowyer’s fourth season with the team, as he replaced team co-owner Tony Stewart after Stewart retired following the 2016 season.

Here is what the 40-year-old Emporia, Kansas native had to say about the opportunity to return to Stewart-Haas Racing next year, according to NASCAR.

"“I’m proud to be back with Stewart-Haas Racing next year and very happy to announce it the week leading into my home race. This is a team filled with racers who love to compete, and as a race car driver, it’s exactly where you want to be. Great equipment, great teammates, and we’re all backed by great people, which starts at the top with Tony and Gene. They know how to build some fast Ford Mustangs and I’m the lucky guy who gets to drive ’em.”"

Here is what Stewart had to add about the team retaining Bowyer.

"“Clint Bowyer is a racer to his core who brings passion and energy to our race team. He’s exactly who I wanted to drive my No. 14 car and we’re very happy to have him continue with Stewart-Haas Racing.”"

Bowyer has competed in the Cup Series since the 2005 season, and he hasn’t missed a race since becoming a full-time driver in the 2006 season.

More from NASCAR Cup Series

He has earned 10 victories in 500 career starts, and he has recorded 80 top five finishes, 211 top 10 finishes and three pole positions. He has led 2,952 of the 141,134 laps that he has completed. His career average starting position is 17.0 and his career average finishing position is 15.7.

He entered his first season driving for Stewart-Haas Racing back in 2017 having not won a race since he won three races in the 2012 season, the latest of which being the October playoff race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, en route to a career-high second place finish in the championship standings. He finally ended his win drought, which reached 190 races, in the 2018 season when he won the March race at Martinsville Speedway.

He went on to win the rain-shortened June race at Michigan International Speedway later in the 2018 season to secure the second of what are his two victories so far driving the #14 Ford.

Through the first 31 races of the 36-race 2019 season, Bowyer sits in 11th place in the championship standings as one of the 12 remaining playoff drivers entering this Sunday afternoon’s round of 12 finale at Kansas Speedway, his home race track. He sits 24 points below the round of 8 cut line as he attempts to advance to the round of 8 for the second consecutive season.

Bowyer has recorded seven top five finishes, 15 top 10 finishes and one pole position so far this season, and he has led 102 of the 8,235 laps that he has completed. His average starting position is a career-high 10.0, and his average finishing position is 15.4.

Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark

Three of Stewart-Haas Racing’s four seats for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season have now been confirmed, as Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola are set to return as the drivers of the #4 Ford and #10 Ford, respectively.

Will Daniel Suarez return to the team behind the wheel of the #41 Ford for a second season next year, or will he be replaced by Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series superstar Cole Custer? There are still several moves that the team can make from here, as Bowyer’s confirmation is just the latest Silly Season domino to fall.

Home/NASCAR Cup Series