Clint Bowyer's NRA 500 sponsor supports gun safety

Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Texas Motor Speedway is sticking to its guns.

After considering a change to the Texas victory lane celebration, track president Eddie Gossage has decided to keep the tradition of having the winning driver fire six shooters. Gossage had been concerned that a sponsor would be uncomfortable with a driver firing guns after winning the NRA 500 on April 13.

But the guns, along with the victory lane cowboy hats, are "our green jacket," Gossage told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. Firing the guns is no different than when muskets are fired after the New England Patriots score a touchdown.

"The more I thought about it, the more I realized it's a celebration," said Gossage, whose track has had the guns as part of its festivities since 2005. "Nobody in their right mind uses it anything more than a celebration. It'd be different if it was our first time doing it."

The NRA race affiliation had caused Gossage to think about the appearance of the celebration. Gossage told USA TODAY Sports last month that he didn't "want to affect some sponsor on a uniform somewhere that says, 'I didn't want that picture. I didn't want my driver with a gun in his hand.' "

The NRA sponsorship is a particularly sensitive issue since it was announced just after NASCAR backed a Sandy Hook School Support Fund car in the Daytona 500. But Gossage insisted the NRA 500 was a sports marketing opportunity, not a political statement.

In related news, Michael Waltrip, who drove the Sandy Hook car at Daytona, signed Gander Mountain to sponsor Clint Bowyer's car at Texas. The outdoors store announced Wednesday it will launch a gun safety awareness campaign using the No. 15 car.

Bowyer's hood will read: "With rights comes responsibility. Secure your firearms." The campaign focuses on the importance of keeping guns out of the hands of underaged, untrained and unauthorized people -- something Bowyer said he can relate to.

The driver keeps his guns locked in a safe at home, in part to make sure his young nephew doesn't get hold of one.

"I love hunting, I love being in the outdoors and enjoying with my friends, but a great deal of responsibility goes with that," Bowyer said. "They're doing it the right way, and this responsibility pledge where we're going to be raising awareness for safety with firearms is very important."

Though his team owner drove a Sandy Hook School Support fund car for Swan Racing in the Daytona 500, Bowyer said he didn't think the messages presented a conflict.

"We have to promote more responsibility, more safety of your firearms and what you do with them," he said. "... It's something I'm passionate about."

Bowyer said he didn't believe firing guns in victory lane that would present a conflict for his sponsor if he won the Texas race.

"That's the history and tradition that's been behind the race for many years," Bowyer said. "The main thing is the responsibility of what you do with it afterward."

Gossage's decision to stick with the six-shooter celebration was first reported by ESPN.com.

Follow Jeff Gluck on Twitter @jeff_gluck