Patience Paid Off For Former Driver Now Fox NASCAR Analyst Clint ...

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 03: Former NASCAR driver and FOX Sports NASCAR broadcaster Clint ... [+] Bowyer speaks during the Fox Sports NASCAR Press Conference at Los Angeles Coliseum on February 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

When fans tuned into the NASCAR Cup series race of 2024, they saw a new analyst in the Fox Sports booth.

Kevin Harvick, having retired from full-time racing at the end of 2023 made his television debut alongside lead announcer Mike Joy. The third member of the booth was also a former driver, one who already has a couple of seasons under his belt.

With the attention on Harvick, in some ways Clint Bowyer became overshadowed a bit. But in the end, that’s okay with him.

In some ways Bowyer survived a storm in the three years in the Fox Sports booth. After stepping away from his own full-time career as a driver, Bowyer joined the broadcast starting in 2021. He prematurely announced the move in October of 2020, something that seems to fit with his over-the-top no holds barred style.

Becoming a TV broadcaster wasn’t on the Kansas native’s bucket list. He had some exposure to the booth as part of an all-driver Xfinity broadcast at Pocono in 2019, and while he had fun it that wasn’t the motivation to trade his firesuit for a dress shirt and tie.

It all changed when the world went into a lockdown over COVID early in 2020.

“We kind of had a crap sandwich in our hands,” Bowyer joked. Adding with a more serious tone: “It could have been catastrophic for a sport like ours.”

TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) (Editors note: This image was computer generated ... [+] in-game) Corey LaJoie, driver of the #32 Schluter Systems, Ford leads during the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Geico 70 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2020 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

“We rely on sponsors,” he explained. “And those sponsors for the most part are hopefully multi-year deals. And you're sitting there right in the middle of the better part of those trying to figure out what that means. Are they void? Are they…are we out of business?

“Our sport was in a tough time, and it was a crucial moment in our sport that we needed to figure out faster probably than other sports. And that's exactly what iRacing kind of laid in our laps.”

With the world shuttered and tracks silent, racers stuck at home turned to each other and a small circle of friends who had met on the online platform that in many ways up to that point was a world all on its own.

“It was almost like the timing of that was just teed up perfectly,” Bowyer said. “Everybody was looking for something to do. All of us were sitting around late at night, bumming around, and racing each other on iRacing, trash talking at night; it was all your peers and your buddies... all those worlds collide. I mean, I had music friends, Tim Duggar and a lot of people that were joining in and racing us, and it was a ton of fun.”

Eric Shanks is the CEO and executive producer at Fox Sports. He heard about the iRacing adventures of drivers like Bowyer and his friends and got an idea. He called Clint Bowyer.

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 05: Fox Sports Media Group Co-President, Chief Operating Officer Eric Shanks ... [+] attends the 2013 Fox Sports Media Group Upfront after party at Roseland Ballroom on March 5, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/WireImage)

“I was literally on my machine racing,” Bowyer said. “Eric Shanks called and said, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ I'm like, ‘huh. Well, sir, I am I'm kind of embarrassed to say this, but I'm playing a video game with my son with Larson and a bunch of other guys racing one another from across the world and everywhere in between’, he's like, ‘funny you say that what would you think about doing a race on TV live?’”

The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series would be what many say saved the sport of NASCAR. A total of 10 races featuring the sports top drivers were broadcast live on Fox. They included Bowyer.

“I literally took my rig loaded in the back of my pickup, took it down to the studio, and we went racing,” he said.

Sponsors soon signed on wanting their drivers and paint schemes represented. Fox, NASCAR, and iRacing made it happen.

“I can tell you without that moment in time and that ability to be able to change directions and do something to keep us afloat for a month was very impactful and very much needed,” Bowyer said. “And did just that, it kept us afloat in a tough time.”

It also opened up a new door for Bowyer. Racing would be back to real tracks, minus fans, by May of 2020. In October Clint Bowyer announced he would be leaving the cockpit of a racecar and stepping into Fox Sports broadcast booth.

MORE FROM FORBESClint Bowyer's Impending Move To Fox Sports Had Nothing To Do With Lack Of Nascar Sponsorship, He SaysBy Greg Engle

Bowyer stepped into a different world in 2021. He helped fill a void left when Darrell Waltrip, who had joined Fox when it first took over the series fulltime in 2001, left at the end of 2019. He took his place alongside Jeff Gordon, who was also a former adversary on track. The two had been fierce competitors on track and had more than one run in. Bowyer wasn’t intimidated at all.

“You know, Jeff and I have always enjoyed one another's time away from the track,” Bowyer said. “We always kind of flock to one another, maybe after hours at a year end event championship, banquet, playoff, banquets, all those fun things over the years.”

Bowyer added that Gordon was one of the big reasons he decided to take on the role beside him.

“As a matter of fact, the only caveat to all of it that was not part of it was knowing that he could leave, “Bowyer said. Gordon announced in 2021 that he would be moving to Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season to become an executive.

“That was where the big ‘oh crap’ moment came from,” Bowyer joked.

Bowyer was taken by surprise by the move and wondered if he had made the right choice.

“I signed on for that very reason,” he said. “To join, alongside Mike Joy, the legend of Mike Joy and the legend of Jeff Gordon.

“I got to attach my name to that team roster, and it meant a lot to me. It meant a lot to me that I was able to start my broadcasting career with the likes of everybody's heroes. I mean, you can look back at any given impactful moment on the racetrack and hear Mike Joy's voice covering it. And I don't care what decade it’s from…you go back for so many years since I've been watching NASCAR, and virtually every huge moment in NASCAR, you look over your shoulders and Jeff Gordon was a part of it.

“I was all in on joining that team.”

After Gordon left, Bowyer made the decision to stay. It was partly based on speculation that Kevin Harvick might soon make a move of his own, and perhaps land at Fox. All Bowyer had to do was wait.

“I was patient,” he said. “I didn't know what they were going to do. In TV you just never know. Your bosses are in LA they're working on football, they're working on baseball and everything in between; soccer literally all facets of sports. You don't get to sit down with them on a weekly basis or have a phone call with them on a weekly basis and know what they're thinking all the time…that's just TV.

“You know, I could, through conversation, though read between the lines, I knew the wishlist after a short amount of time of nobody plugging that hole, it became pretty evident that it was Kevin Harvick for me.”

Jeff Gordon announced in 2021 that he would be leaving the Fox Sports booth for an executive ... [+] position at Hendrick Motorsports.

That would mean a wait of two years, two NASCAR seasons that had Bowyer working with different guest analysts. Those included his former boss Tony Stewart, former drivers Danica Patrick and Matt Kenseth. Waltrip and even Gordon returned in guest roles as well.

“It came with a lot of challenges that I didn't foresee,” Bowyer admits. “You know, I know my strengths and weaknesses. I know that I'm a pretty easy conversationalist.

“Everybody knows what they're good at and whatnot. You don't really need to be told that. That being said, I figured it would be pretty easy to bring in just about anybody and be able to have some banter, have some rapport with one another. You know, bounce a couple ideas or scenarios off of 'em and see what they say and then be able to figure it out from there, so to speak.”

It turned out to be much more of a challenge than Bowyer thought it would be. Most of the guest analysts had not spent much time in, or even around, NASCAR’s new Next Gen car. Bowyer found he couldn’t simply “throw them the ball” and let them take it from there.

“Look at Tony Stewart, the first couple, we weren't very good,” Bowyer said. “And I took a lot of responsibility in that. A lot of conversation with Mike Joy leaning on him and his expertise over the years he's worked with, we know he is worked with plenty over the decades, including my goofy butt, right?

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 06: Former NASCAR drivers and members of the NASCAR on Fox broadcast team, ... [+] Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer look on during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 06, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

“I guess what I'm saying is I had a lot of fun with it, but I'm glad finally that wait is over, and I've got a consistent man back in the booth.”

Now he has an analyst with him who has spent time in the Next Gen car. One that Bowyer knew would catch the ball when thrown.

“This is why Kevin Harvick works for me,” Bowyer said.

Harvick and Bowyer were teammates at Richard Childress Racing from 2005-2011, then again at Stewart-Haas Racing starting in 2017 until Bowyer left in 2020. But their familiarity with each other started long before Bowyer even raced in the sport. When Bowyer was still racing late models in his home state of Kansas.

He is literally the first person that I met in NASCAR -Cling Bowyer on Kevin Harvick

“He is literally the first person that I met in NASCAR,” Bowyer said. “I was sponsored by a local Kansas City Co-op of Sonic Drive-Ins. He was sponsored by the National campaign of Sonic Drive-Ins; Kansas Speedway come about. The local Sonic Drive-in owner said, ‘Hey, would you bring your late model up? I want to do a Sonic Drive-in night. And I've got Kevin Harvick and RCR is bringing a show car, so I'd like to have your car alongside it.’

“They were painted exactly the same. I was like, heck yeah, that's awesome. Never even met a guy in NASCAR, you know, literally never met one and lo and behold, it was Kevin Harvick.”

That first meeting has now come full circle.

“Now we're standing next to one another in the booth. So we can't get away from one another,” Bowyer said laughing. “I'm sure I'm as big a pain in his butt as he is mine. But we know one another. We trust one another.”

And that trust plays into Bowyer’s style in the booth. He’s always worn his emotions on his sleeve and said whatever’s on his mind. With Harvick he can now be his authentic self and not worry that Harvick won’t have his back. Both are ready to call a race exactly as they see it.

Fox Sports 2024 Kevin Harvick, Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer

“Our fans aren't dumb,” Bowyer said. “They've been watching this sport in and out and all the different things, all the Race Hubs daily that set it up. They know the sport; they know the stats and you can't lie to 'em.

“What I can do is create, as much as I can, a fun environment that they feel like Kevin and I are sitting at home in their living room on the couch watching this and bench racing and bouncing fun things off of one another or challenging one another and calling a race. That's what's fun about it. And I feel like that's the way it needs to be.”