For Bowyer, plate racing like cruising on interstate

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Clint Bowyer keeps telling himself that restrictor-plate racing is just another Sunday drive.

"It's no different than driving on the interstate," Bowyer said.

Of course, most people aren't doing 190 mph running inches away from other cars at the time. But Bowyer, speaking Friday at Talladega Superspeedway during preparations for Sunday's Aaron's 499, said it's the same basic principle.

He tries to treat it the same way as he does when he's stuck in traffic: Stay calm, be patient and try to avoid causing any road rage.

"If people are driving crazy or erratic, get away from them," Bowyer said. "Back out and get out of that situation. If they're putting you three-wide or four-wide and you're not comfortable with who you're around and your surroundings, well, you've got the wheel. Get out of that situation."

Of course, it's easier said than done, especially in Bowyer's case. He lasted just 16 laps in his Talladega debut last spring before getting caught up in a crash and winding up 40th.

Things were only slightly better in the fall. He led five laps but a crash with 17 laps remaining left him 35th.

However, the No. 07 Chevrolet team has made huge strides this season, starting with a solid 18th-place run in the Daytona 500, followed by three top-10 finishes. That's left Bowyer ninth in the standings heading into Sunday's race.

So what has Bowyer learned in the past year about racing in Nextel Cup, particularly at a place like Talladega?

"I think I'm a smarter driver, I think I understand a little bit better what I need to be doing and where I need to be at and my surroundings," he said. "Coming to Talladega you've got to be conscious of your surroundings. You can't put yourself in situations and be in a wreck.

"You can control your destiny sometimes but sometimes you just can't. Sometimes 10 cars in front of you get together and crash and you're going to be in the middle of it. There's just nowhere to go. This track is really wide, really big but there's still situations where it's just unavoidable."

Bowyer preaches patience, but even he says there comes a point of no return.

"It comes a time at the end of the race where you can't afford to back out," he said. "You can't afford to get back up through there and get the run."