Jeff Gluck

USA TODAY Sports

RICHMOND, Va. — Clint Bowyer isn't thinking about what happened one year ago at Richmond International Raceway – and doesn't understand why anyone else would bring it up.

"Believe it or not, it's a year ago," Bowyer said Friday, citing a column on the Michael Waltrip Racing scandal that appeared in USA TODAY Sports. "… Why you choose to be hung up on things that happened a year ago is beyond me."

Bowyer said he isn't focused on the memories of last year for several reasons, one of which is he can hardly remember last week. Another is the ninth-year driver is on the verge of missing the Chase for the Sprint Cup for only the fourth time in his career and he likely needs a victory on Saturday night to make the 16-driver playoff.

"If I could ever pick a track to go to and fight my way into this Chase, it's this one," said Bowyer, a two-time Richmond winner. "This is one of my best tracks. I love this place, love racing here, love competing here. Hopefully, she'll be good to me one more time."

But it was Bowyer whose spin with seven laps to go in last September's Richmond race caused a caution — many would say an intentional move — set off a series of events which saw MWR lose a driver from the Chase and get slapped with the largest penalty in NASCAR history.

Looking back on the aftermath now, Bowyer said, "you never want to create a storm for anybody."

"You think I wanted to be in the middle of all that mess?" he said. "I wanted to go to Chicago (for the first Chase race) and enjoy Chicago — it's a pretty fun city — and instead I had to answer (the media's) questions again."

This year, MWR doesn't have any cars in Chase position — although Bowyer is 23 points (worth 23 positions on the track) behind Greg Biffle for the 16th spot. He must either pass Biffle in points or win the race to clinch a berth.

Bowyer said he's "pretty optimistic" about having a good run on Saturday night, but acknowledged the "desperation is definitely there for us and our race team this weekend."

This week, Bowyer went elk-hunting in Colorado and disconnected for three days. His phone didn't work, he said, which meant he "couldn't read what all you yahoos were writing."

"And now look at me," he said, pointing to the media scrum surrounding him at the back of his No. 15 hauler. "I'm back in this mess. Look at this. It's sticky in here."

Bowyer was asked how aggressive he'd be willing to get toward the end of Saturday night's race with a Chase berth on the line.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked reporters. "Want me to wreck 'em? How many can I wreck before they throw me out? If you were going to guess, is there a number on it?"

But no matter what happens — whether he makes the Chase or not — Bowyer said he'll go home and have a good week. His wife of five months, Lorra, is due with the couple's first child at the end of the month.

"I've got a baby on the way and there are a lot of good, exciting things going on in my life," he said.

"Obviously, being a part of that Chase or not being part of it is one of the biggest things in my life. But there's at least three more years you're going to have to put up with me in this sport. This isn't the last."

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