Clint Bowyer is returning to NASCAR competition for the first time since the end of the 2020 season.
Bowyer, who retired after 15 full-time seasons in Cup, will compete in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. He will drive the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado.
The decision to join Spire Motorsports for the one-off race means there will be a reunion.
Bowyer will have crew chief Brian Pattie back atop the pit box. Pattie was Bowyer's Cup Series crew chief from 2012-15. They celebrated three wins together in 2012 and finished runner-up in the championship standings.
He's getting back behind the wheel!@ClintBowyer will pilot the No. 7 truck for @SpireMotorsport at @NashvilleSuperS. pic.twitter.com/mzrITYizpR
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) May 29, 2024
"For me, it's the tie between working with Pattie and the good old days," Bowyer said in a statement. "Putting the band back together, so to speak, and having some fun. Nashville is a cool racetrack that has meant a lot to me over the years.
"Separate from that, it's about the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. That's a really fun series. It's a fun vehicle to drive. There's a lot of drag and you can drive them hard and get away with it. You can really hustle a truck. This race should be right in my wheelhouse."
The No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado is Spire's all-star truck, one that has featured veterans and youngsters alike. Kyle Busch won at Atlanta and Texas this season in the No. 7. Connor Zilisch finished fourth at Circuit of the Americas in his NASCAR debut. Corey LaJoie, Sammy Smith, and Connor Mosack have all made starts in the No. 7 this season.
Bowyer has achieved success at Nashville Superspeedway
Photo credit: Getty Images
Bowyer, who works as an analyst for Fox Sports, has experience at Nashville Superspeedway. He competed at the 1.33-mile track nine times in the Xfinity Series and posted nine top-five finishes. Bowyer also won at the Tennessee track in 2005.
B0wyer's average finish at Nashville Superspeedway is 2.8.
Nashville Superspeedway is only one of the tracks where Bowyer achieved success during his NASCAR career. He won at eight different tracks in Xfinity and at three different tracks in the Truck Series. Bowyer won 10 times in Cup spread between seven different tracks.
"Having Clint Bowyer drive our No. 7 at Nashville Superspeedway just demonstrates how committed Spire Motorsports is to having a true all-star lineup in that truck," said Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt in a statement. "Clint is part of an exclusive club of drivers who have won in the Truck Series, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series.
"When you see his track record at Nashville, it almost makes you shake your head. It's pretty incredible. He's a great personality and, as Brian well knows, he's a lot of fun. We're grateful to have him and we think he gives us a great shot at winning the race."