Has Clint Bowyer ever won the Daytona 500? A look at the NASCAR veteran's best finish

Ever since retiring from the sport full-time, NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer has firmly established his career as a successful analyst for Fox Sports. Nonetheless, the 45-year-old, who most recently competed in the Truck Series for Spire Motorsports, has an impressive racing portfolio to show for.

However, despite his impressive career, one accolade eluded him during his time on the track: a victory at the prestigious Daytona 500.

Known as the "Great American Race," the Daytona 500 is NASCAR's most iconic event, held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida. It is a race that every driver dreams of winning. For Bowyer, who competed in 15 editions of the event, the Daytona 500 was a challenge that he could never conquer.

In the 15 editions he participated in, Clint Bowyer's best performance in the Daytona 500 was a fourth-place finish in the years 2009 and 2010. His last outing, in 2020, was yet another impressive display where Bowyer registered a sixth-place finish as a Stewart-Haas Racing driver.

In total, Bowyer has competed in 52 races at the iconic Daytona International Speedway, including the season-opening Duel races and Xfinity Series events. Although he never won the Daytona 500, he came agonizingly close in other races at the iconic venue, finishing second on multiple occasions.

Beyond the Daytona 500, Clint Bowyer's racing legacy includes a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship win which came in 2008 as a driver for Richard Childress Racing. The Kansas native was also the runner-up in the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series season, losing out on the title by a thin margin to Brad Keselowski in the season finale.

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"I signed on for that very reason" - Clint Bowyer on Jeff Gordon's influence in his joining Fox Sports

(l to r) Retired professional race car driver Jeff Gordon, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, sportscaster Chris Myers, and retired professional race car driver Clint Bowyer - Source: Imagn

In 2021, Clint Bowyer transitioned from the cockpit to the broadcast booth, joining Fox Sports as an analyst. This new chapter in his career came after the departure of Darrell Waltrip in 2019.

Bowyer’s decision to step into broadcasting was significantly influenced by Jeff Gordon, a former rival on the track and a broadcasting veteran. Reflecting on his relationship with Gordon in a 2021 interview with Forbes, Bowyer said:

"You know, Jeff and I have always enjoyed one another's time away from the track. 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."

Jeff Gordon, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, moved to Hendrick Motorsports in an executive role later that year. This marked the end of Gordon and Bowyer's partnership in the booth. The latter further revealed how Gordon's presence in the Fox booth was one of the key factors that led to his transitioning decision. Bowyer said:

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

Clint Bowyer now finds himself in the Fox Sports booth alongside Joy and his former RCR and Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, the recently retired Kevin Harvick.