A well-traveled driver
BUFFALO TWP — Still only 22, Carl Bowser owns Sprint feature victories at Lernerville Speedway in three different years.
The Sarver resident and Freeport graduate won features in 2006, 2008 and earlier this season.
Yet he yearns for more — so he's heading back Down Under.
Bowser raced in nine features in Australia from Jan. 14 through March 11. He went winless, but Bowser finished as high as fifth.
"They trade paint and push each other out of the way on a regular basis over there," said Bowser's father and former Sprint driver Terry Bowser. "They drive so much more aggressively than we do here.
"Carl adjusted eventually, but he mainly benefited from the seat time. He was getting seat time when no one around here was anywhere near a racetrack."
Bowser, who debuted as a Sprint driver in 2005, will get a bonus along with the seat time next year when he ventures back to Australia.
He'll be working on World of Outlaws driver Craig Dollansky's car for a month.
Dollansky will be driving a car for Australia residents Robin and Joanne Dawkins, friends of the Bowser family who stayed with them recently.
"They've been over here buying parts for their cars and following the Outlaws around a little bit," Terry Bowser said.
"Working on an Outlaw driver's car for a month — talk about accelerating the learning curve," Carl Bowser said. "I can't wait. I'm going to learn more about Sprint racing doing that than driving around the track myself."
He'll be doing that as well, however.
Last year, Bowser drove one of two cars owned by Peter and Tim Austin of Australia. That duo bought a motor from Bowser a year ago and he was instrumental in building those cars.
"Now we're working on a way to get one of my cars over there for next season," Bowser said.
Bowser raced on three different quarter-mile tracks in Australia.
"It's pretty intense racing," he said.
Through July 4, Bowser had tallied one win, four top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 19 races.
"Carl knows what it's like racing around here," his father said. "He had no problem adapting back to our style. I went (to Australia) and watched his last four races and noticed improvement immediately."
