Getty Clint Bowyer was involved in a fatal car crash in Missouri on June 5.
FOX Sports analyst Clint Bowyer was absent from the NASCAR Cup Series booth on June 12 due to a personal issue. A FOX affiliate in Kansas City reported days later that he was involved in a fatal car crash in Missouri just before 9 p.m. on June 5.
FOX 4 Kansas City obtained a copy of the police report from the Lake Ozark Police Department, which said that Bowyer was traveling westbound on U.S. 54 toward Missouri 242 when he struck a woman walking on the ramp. The report stated that he pulled his vehicle to a stop and called 911. Bowyer then helped point the first responders to the victim, who has been identified as Mary Jane Simmons of Camdenton, Missouri, according to the outlet.
According to the crash report obtained by FOX 4 Kansas City, Bowyer showed no signs of impairment, and he had a blood-alcohol level of .000. The report said that a “crystalline substance” was found in the victim’s personal belongings and was identified as methamphetamine, according to the outlet. “She was believed to be under the influence of drugs,” FOX 4 reported.
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Bowyer Missed the Final FOX Sports Race of 2022
GettyClint Bowyer missed the FOX Sports broadcast at Sonoma Raceway.
FOX Sports announced prior to the Cup Series race at Sonoma on June 12 that Bowyer would not be part of the broadcast. Mike Joy did not provide any details other than saying that the former NASCAR driver-turned-analyst was dealing with a personal matter.
Without Bowyer in the booth, FOX Sports used a different lineup. Joy served as the play-by-play man while Tony Stewart was the primary analyst. Larry McReynolds also joined the lineup to provide analyst during the road course race.
“Anyone that knows me, knows that family is everything to me,” Bowyer said in a statement to FOX 4 KC. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of Ms. Simmons. This is a very difficult time for my family and I, please respect our privacy as we move forward.”
Bowyer Has Spent 2 Seasons in the FOX Sports Booth
GettyClint Bowyer spent 15 years as a full-time Cup Series driver.
Bowyer just completed his second season working as an analyst in the FOX Sports booth. He joined prior to the 2021 Daytona 500, and he formed a three-person lineup with Joy and Jeff Gordon for the 16 races that made up the FOX Sports portion of the schedule.
The situation changed prior to the 2022 Cup Series season. Bowyer and Joy returned to the booth for another season together, but Gordon left to move over to Hendrick Motorsports full-time as the vice-chairman of the organization. This created a vacancy in the third seat, which FOX Sports filled with several guest analysts.
Prior to joining FOX Sports, Bowyer spent 15 years as a full-time Cup Series driver. He made 541 starts, also including a one-off race in 2005, and he reached Victory Lane 10 times. This includes twice at Talladega Superspeedway (2010, 2011) and a career-high three wins during the 2012 season while driving for Michael Waltrip Racing.
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Sorry Clint is having to deal with such a terrible tragedy. Best to all everyone involved.
So sorry to hear this! sending prayers to Clint!