In the world of NASCAR, superstitions are as prevalent as in any other sport, with racing folklore heavily influencing driver rituals for success on the track. Dale Earnhardt famously adhered to exiting buildings through the same door he entered, while Kyle Larson carries a small ladybug sticker on his car for good luck. Clint Bowyer, on the other hand, boasts perhaps the most eclectic collection of superstitions among his peers.
Advertisement
During a rapid-fire interview in 2018, Bowyer was asked about his quirky race day rituals. He confessed to embracing a myriad of superstitions, stating, “I’ve had them all, literally from the painting on the dash to same pair of socks, to putting your shoes on the same way to your gloves the same way.”
Bowyer also shared a humorous anecdote from his upbringing, illustrating the extent of his superstitious nature. “I came from a family where you’d be riding down the road with your Grandma and if a black cat run in front of you, I don’t care how far it is around the block we’re going around somewhere. Brakes on, u-turn, going the other way,” he recounted.
However, Bowyer’s deepest fears extend far beyond the racetrack. Rather than fretting over losing races or championships, Bowyer confesses that his greatest fear is the loss of his loved ones, especially to diseases and ailments such as cancer.
Reflecting on the vulnerabilities that come with age, he shared, “I think the older you get the more it’s real you know what I mean the more that cancer shows up and in everybody’s lives I mean it just seems like I don’t know there’s always that way.”
As he’s matured, this realization has become more pronounced. The 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion mused further about this heavy reality, “But now that I’m older and really take in life and understand and everything and have friends and loved ones and family members everybody’s affected by it. So that’s the biggest thing.”
Despite retiring from racing, Bowyer’s love for the sport shines through as an analyst today. He remains one of the sport’s most popular voices in the FOX Sports broadcast booth, bringing an air of easy-going humor and relatability to the sport’s fans as he calls races alongside former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick and well-known play-by-play announcer Mike Joy.
