Saturday September 15, 2012

JOLIET, Ill. -- Last weekend it was a win for Clint Bowyer. On Friday, it was the announcement of a new sponsor.

This Sunday, the Chase for the Sprint Cup will begin -- for the first time with a driver from Michael Waltrip Racing.

Two, in fact.

"It seems like ever since I made this change over to Michael Waltrip, it’s almost daily that there’s more good news around the corner," Bowyer said.

Five years after an atrocious showing for Toyota in the manufacturer’s first year in NASCAR’s top series, MWR is wrapping up an impressive season. Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. are both in the Chase, which starts with Sunday’s race at Chicagoland. That’s quite a step for a team that had four top-five finishes all of last year.

MWR launched in 2007, but Waltrip became embroiled in a cheating scandal at the season-opening Daytona 500 and quickly ran out of money. Rob Kauffman, an investment fund manager and racing enthusiast, bought into the organization and pumped in cash, and Joe Gibbs Racing defected from Chevrolet to Toyota at the end of that year. When ties to Chevrolet were officially over, J.D. Gibbs personally visited with every Toyota team to offer support, including technical advice.

MWR’s commitment at the Cup level really increased last season. The organization expanded to three cars by hiring Bowyer for 2012, and he’s come through with two victories and six top-five

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showings. Truex also has six top-fives this year.

On Friday, Waltrip and Bowyer announced a deal with PEAK Motor Oil to be the primary sponsor on Bowyer’s No. 15 Toyota for three races in each of the next three Cup seasons. PEAK also will be an associate sponsor for all three MWR cars.

That only added to the loose atmosphere surrounding the team.

Bowyer’s attitude seems to personify the team, and even though he’s new, it reflects the strides MWR has made.

Bowyer has finished in the top 10 five times in six starts at Chicagoland, and now he’ll have a chance to start the Chase off on the right note with a strong finish this weekend.

"I hope I haven’t changed any. I’m running better than I ever have, and when you run better, you’re seen more," Bowyer said.