Bowyer, Schrader enjoy playing in the dirt

August 07, 2012|By HEATHER WILLIAMS | Eyewitness Sports

HAYS, Kansas — There is always something comfortable and familiar about returning home. And although Clint Bowyer had never raced the Rolling Plains Speedway in Hays before Tuesday night, returning to the dirt tracks in his home state of Kansas, was still like a homecoming.

"It's what we grew up doing," said Bowyer. "It's always fun to come back an revisit how you grew up, you know. It me I'm like a kid in a candy store."

Ken Schrader agrees. Though he is from Missouri, not from Kansas, he first visited RPM three years ago. And he jumped at the chance to return to his Midwestern dirt track roots.

"It's just a good Midwestern dirt track," said Schrader.

Schrader and Bowyer are just two of a growing number of Sprint Cup series drivers that enjoy racing on dirt tracks in their spare time. With the pressure off and the spotlight some what dimmer, it's a really chance for them to get back to what they love to do, and that's race.

"I think some of them have played with it and then realized how much fun it is," said Schrader. "It's just a tremendous hobby."

And all though the cars may look a little different, and they are racing on dirt, racing is still racing.

"It's four wheels and a steering wheel and you gotta make the most of it," said Bowyer.

Though he owns a dirt racing team, Bowyer doesn't get much time to get back on the dirt anymore, his NASCAR schedule keeps him pretty busy. In fact, Tuesday's race in Hays was really more of a glorified sponsor appearance for Crawford Supply.

"We are very fortunate to have such good sponsors," said Bowyer. "And then to have a sponsor from Kansas right here in your own back yard, It's just been a fun partnership.

"And they bring you to a race track. This is an appearance here. I'm at a race track racing."

For Schrader, who runs now just a limited schedule on the Sprint Cup schedule, dirt track racing is just what he does. He estimated that he ran about 80 races last year, and he is hoping to run close to 100 this year.

"It started out being a hobby and turned into a profession," said Schader. "Well I don't want to give up my hobby. So I'm just still having fun."

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