KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Clint Bowyer didn't think his car could continue when he got out of it Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, and he admitted that his frustration being involved in a Talladega crash stems from the dangerous nature of restrictor-plate racing.
Bowyer's frustration boiled over after his team decided to repair a tether on a roof flap that put him in the back just prior to the accident on Lap 156. Bowyer and crew chief Mike Bugarewicz sparred on the radio before he even could stop in his pit box, and then Bowyer got out of his car on pit road and yelled at Bugarewicz before the team could fully diagnose the car.
Because he got out of the car, Bowyer's day was done. Bowyer said Friday that he had hit Cole Whitt three different times in the crash and he felt there was no way it could continue.
"Those are frustrating races," Bowyer said Friday about the restrictor-plate events at Daytona and Talladega. "It's extremely nerve-wracking. To be dead honest with you, when I'm at home, there are only two tracks that I'm scared of -- there's only two tracks in the back of my mind where I think I can lose my life.
"Those are the only two. When things get out of control, you've got to remember that. We're still out there risking our lives."
Bugarewicz, beyond indicating all was fine between him and Bowyer, declined to talk about the incident Friday. Bowyer, who had an appearance in New Mexico and his foundation event in Emporia, Kansas, (about 100 miles from the track) this week, said the incident felt as if it was a month ago and is behind him.
"You get down to the end of those things, there's a point -- you can feel it as a fan, you can feel it in the car -- where you have to be in position, you have to be in the hunt," Bowyer said.
If Stewart-Haas Racing wants to shake up its crew chiefs, it could pair Bowyer with current Danica Patrick crew chief Billy Scott as Scott and Bowyer worked together at Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer said he isn't thinking about any potential changes. Patrick isn't returning to the team next year and Kurt Busch crew chief Tony Gibson might decide to opt for a position with less travel.
"It's time to start thinking about that, but at the end of the day, it's all about depth in our organization and building our organization," Bowyer said. "Who knows? There could be a lot of different things that happen in the offseason at Stewart-Haas.
"You don't know. I don't know. ... Time will tell."