Clint Bowyer on fatherhood: You can’t drink as much

Life changes when you become a father, a lesson Clint Bowyer now knows firsthand.

Bowyer’s wife Lorra welcomed the couple’s first child, son Cash, last October, and since then the lifestyle of the Michael Waltrip Racing driver has undergone a significant transformation.

“This very morning ... Cash was screaming literally about every 45 minutes in the motorhome, and I only have 40 feet in that motorhome,” Bowyer said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. “You can’t go any farther. The rental car outside is the next closest step to getting sleep.”

Gone are the late-night exploits, which often involved the consumption of an adult beverage or two. One instance included Bowyer conducting a Twitter Q-and-A with fans sitting by a campfire, another saw him shoot a flamethrower he had received as a baby gift.

Or the time Bowyer awoke the morning following a victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway and tweeted: ”“WTH happened last night? Woke up with a blue jacket, trophy, bottle of Jack [Daniels], a keg, a dog, new watch, a driveshaft and a headache.” He later explained someone had indeed placed a driveshaft in bed beside him.

“It’s not days -- the days are fine,” Bowyer said. “The nights are a struggle for me. That’s a game-changer. Usually through your 20s, maybe early 30s, the night life changes drastically from staying out enjoying a few beverages with your friends to changing diapers. You don’t do those beverages anymore.

“No matter what happens at night, my man is up at 5:30 [a.m] ready to go and he needs you now.”

Helping Bowyer adjust to his early mornings is new MWR sponsor Maxwell House. The coffee brand will sponsor Bowyer’s No. 15 car in four races this season -- at Watkins Glen International, Pocono Raceway, Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in November.

Additionally, Maxwell House will back team co-owner Michael Waltrip in two races -- the October event at Talladega and the 2016 Daytona 500. The pairing represents a reunion since the company backed Waltrip during the 1990 Cup season.

“This relationship has given me the opportunity to dig back through some really cool old photos of me and what all we accomplished together back then,” Waltrip said. To fast-forward 25 years, it’s crazy that we’re coming back together as a partner and I couldn’t be prouder to put on the Maxwell House uniform and run a couple races for those guys.”