Clint Bowyer proves to be sneaky title contender

• A mystery man in victory lane last weekend was emblematic of Bowyer's championship standing
• Even Bowyer admits he is surprised to be contending for the Sprint Cup crown; he's 28 points back
• The first-year MWR driver has found success with crew chief Brian Pattie

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Clint Bowyer still doesn't know who the mystery man was who appeared in victory lane last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

As Bowyer and his Michael Waltrip Racing team posed for team photos after his win, a stranger wearing a red hat and red shirt was on Bowyer's left.

Finally, Bowyer asked who the guy was. The man responded that team owner Waltrip said he could be there, but Waltrip didn't know the man's identity.

(Bowyer turned to the mystery man, telling him "to beat it because we needed at least one photo with the regular team in it.")

In this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup, Bowyer is that guy who slips in unnoticed yet makes his presence known. While many focus on points leader Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin, Bowyer hangs in fourth in the standings, 28 points out of the lead.

He could be in the right spot with some suggesting that Sunday's race on the repaved Kansas Speedway — where he'll start third at his home track — and next weekend's race at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway could alter the title race.

Bowyer's run is impressive considering that this is his first year with Waltrip's team, an organization that had not made the Chase before this season. Bowyer's crew chief, Brian Pattie, was not working a year ago after being released from his job as Juan Pablo Montoya's crew chief in July 2011.

Some might find Bowyer's run surprising.

He does, too.

"Hell, yes," Bowyer said. "For whatever reason, it seems like we just keep finding a way to to fight back and be a part of it. It's been like that all year long. We keep getting better and better as anyone would think a new team would do."

Teammate Martin Truex Jr., though, isn't surprised at where Bowyer is halfway through the 10-race title run in NASCAR's premier series.

"Their strong suit is finishing races, making good decisions," Truex said. "A lot of times they get better finishes than maybe where they ran all day. You look at somebody like Keselowski. That's kind of how they got to where they're at; they make really good decisions on race day and put themselves in position to win races."

Bowyer has two wins and nine top-10 finishes in his last 11 races. Only Keselowski with three wins and 13 top-10s in the last 15 races has been better during such a period.

Ray Evernham, analyst for ESPN and a former championship crew chief, is watching Bowyer closely in this title race but wondered about Bowyer's demeanor in the car.

"I think Clint Bowyer could be a real dark horse, but if you listen to him on the radio he got a little out of control (at Charlotte)," Evernham said. "He's got to reel that in, and he could be real threat in this thing as well."

Bowyer admits he can be a "bit of a lunatic" on the radio during a race but credits spotter Brett Griffin, who took over that role at the beginning of the Chase, as keeping him from being too wild in the car.

Even with Bowyer's excitable nature, he's often fared well in the Chase. He finished third in his Chase debut in 2007. He was fifth in 2008 and a 10th in 2010 was impacted by a severe penalty after he won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that ended his title hopes.

In the 35 races he's run when he's been a Chase contender, Bowyer has four wins, 11 top-fives and 18 top-10s.

Bowyer has shown he could challenge ... and just might again this year.

"When you think about it, man, there's only five races left, but at the end of the day that's a lot of racing," Bowyer.

If things go well, Bowyer could be like that mystery man in victory lane last weekend. It's a role Bowyer knows quite well.

Bowyer is the guy who found his way on a Christmas card photo with Jimmie Johnson and his family.

"They took a picture with all the brothers and I stumbled outside," Bowyer said. "I didn't even know they were taking pictures. The funny thing is, their dad sent it out as a Christmas card. He sent it again. Two years in a row running. That happened."