Modern era racing begins at a very young age. It begins with the family, flows through the family, and becomes the family. Family ties are forever solidified from the team spirit. The lows define the highs and the highs help you through the lows.

As the years pass, Matt Bowers has had some incredible opportunities to forge relations with many great competitors, crew chiefs, and shops.

Many people have had a role in Matt Bowers’ career. Some, we may not even know. To those who have helped and supported us, we offer our sincere thanks and look forward to our roads crossing again.

Bob Oleksa – Bob was Matt’s 1st and greatest mentor. Bob shared in Matt’s earliest days in a racecar and could never wait until Friday nights to help Matt at the track. Bob was taken from us in an aircraft accident following a big weekend preparing for an upcoming ¼ Midget Winternationals event in 1998.

Bob Nervo – Bob built the premier ¼ Midget Chassis Company, Nervo-Coggin Racing. Bob had one heck of a passion for young drivers and promoted some of the greatest racing events in the sport, including the Indianapolis Summer Shootout at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bob would begin all of his events with a driver development session that Matt recalls to this day. Bob Nervo was probably the most influential person to thousands of young drivers, ever. Bob chose Matt to be a factory driver in 2000 after Matt bagged the Grands and his 3rd Indy title that year. Bob left our world a couple of years later, but his legacy influenced many drivers of tomorrow, including Matt Bowers.

Eric Zupp – We knew Eric for only a short time, as he was Bob Nervo’s point man for events. Eric and Bob forged a relationship with Indy’s Tony George to plan the inaugural event at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway for JSCAs Junior Sprint Cars. Eric fell one year short of seeing his dream. While scouting location for the 1999 Winternationals, Eric and Bob Oleksa were taken from us in an aircraft accident. Eric’s dream did materialize for the Indianapolis event and it stands as the greatest gathering of young racers to compete with the best in the country at the famed speedway in Indiana.

Mark Martin – Mark and I had very common interests along with thousands of other young kids; we were all dads coaching our kids. Mark, like Bob Nervo, supported ¼ Midget racing by donating equipment and funds to help local tracks. Mark built a complete facility in New Smyrna Beach with support from fellow NASCAR drivers. He had early interest in Matt Bowers inviting Matt to Concord, NC to visit the Roush Racing facility and to introduce the up and coming 600Racing Bandolero program. Mark Martin took the ¼ Midget sport to a whole new level that continues today.

Kyle Beattie and Neil Cantor – Kyle and Neal became Matt’s 1st ever, true team outside of Dad. In preparation for the 2004 Lowes Summer Shootout, we contracted with the Beattie shop in Concord, NC. For ten straight weeks, the MBR team flew back and forth to Concord to participate in Matt’s rookie year in Bandoleros. With Kyle and Neal working with Matt, they brought home a remarkable 7th place finish out of a star-studded cast of racing talent.

Ricky and Derrick Woods – We can’t thank Ricky and Derrick enough for being great friends extending tremendous help to Matt and myself with our Bandolero program. In 2003, Matt and Derrick raced neck to neck for the Florida point’s championship but raced as a team ready to help each other regardless of the points. In August 2003, Matt was removed from the points chase due to a family matter. Ricky and Derrick were our biggest support group to see Matt return to racing. And the day he returned, Ricky provided a Legends car and Matt’s 1st opportunity to step up to the big leagues of 600Racing. Derrick went on to win the Florida and Orlando track championship.

Bobby Ginn – Bobby Ginn became a legend in property development. Bobby knew Matt and had experience in NASCAR. In 2005, Bobby extended the Holy Grail in racing to Matt: sponsorship money. With a budget to work with, the MBR team began a serious drive to win the Lowes Summer Shootout. It took us 3 years to do it, but with Bobby’s support, Matt Bowers did claim the big prize in 2006 for Ginn Resorts.

Larry McReynolds – It is a great moment to stand with Larry or Mark as Dads coaching our kids at a big race. Larry offered a great service to Matt by providing Matt a high level Larry Mac Fox Sports/SpeedChannel taped interview.

Clay Hair – Clay is a legend in Legends racing. Although Kyle and Neal did a masterful job with Matt Bowers in the Bandolero, the MBR team felt that Clay could bring even more to the table in 2005 as crew chief on Matt’s #84 Legends ride. Two cars were built and preparations were made for the 2005 Lowes Summer Shootout. Matt had already claimed victories in the Legends division (combined Semi-Pro and Pro) in Orlando, but the Lowes Summer Shootout remained a solid challenge. 2005 proved to be a developmental year and despite honest efforts, Matt could not deliver the goods for Clay as planned.

Ken Hickson – Ken builds Legends motors under the banner of KenDirk Engines. We always had good power provided by Ken. Early in 2006, the MBR team was not funded and the Winternationals were 2 weeks from reality. Ken stepped up to the plate and built an engine to loan to Matt. Matt collected a 3rd overall in the weeklong event, thanks to Ken, along with Kyle Beattie and Neal Cantor who traveled to Florida to wrench for Matt (on their own time). Funding arrived during the Winternationals and our team, once again began planning for one more run at Lowes.

Nick Pistone – With a string of support from all of our team to date, in the spring of 2006, the MBR team made a very difficult decision to draw a line between friends who had helped us and the business of winning a championship. With some uncertainty as to whether Kyle and Neal would be together for 2006, a call to Nick Pistone Racing would hedge our bets for 2006. Pistone had a very established winning presence at Lowes. As the 2006 Shootout began, Matt had consistent cars and was making consistent finishes.

Chase Pistone – As a team, Nick and Chas are as good as it gets for Legends setup. Matt continued to make consistent finishes and grabbed the points lead at mid point. Both Nick and Chase begged Matt to make a chassis change. We did. Then the program came alive!

Russ, Cheryl and Brandon Thompson – The MBR passion was to run as many races in 2006 as possible. This included the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. If there was a Legends race east of the Mississippi, we wanted a piece of it. Russ handled the Florida based operation along with travel. By the season’s end, Matt had amassed an enormous amount of seat time and leaned on Brandon to help so him the way. It paid big dividends while back at Lowes for the Shootout.

Jim McClain – At about midpoint in the shootout, we met Jim McClain who had a passion for carburetors and talented racers he could help give that last boost toward a checkered flag. Jim took a liking to Matt and began tweaking his carbs. It was those minor adjustments that moved the #84 car closer and closer to the front. It was Matt’s job to patiently use these adjustments to stay out of trouble, but look for opportunities. The teamwork with Pistone Racing and crew, along with Jim, carried Matt to victory lane and the 2006 Lowes Championship. Then we followed it up with strong finishes and fast times at Kentucky and the Legends Nationals at Lanier.

Billy and Brian Silas – Who couldn’t like Billy Silas? He made a bunch of money in the land prep business and decided to go racing with his son Brian. Although Matt and Brian went through a period of who wrecked whom, we all worked through it and were teammates at Pistone Racing. Brian elected to pass on the last half of the Shootout to begin racing ARCA, leaving two extremely sweet Legends Coups in the garage. Matt Bowers needed a backup car to have a chance at claiming the championship. Billy Silas loaned Matt a car to be the backup. Only, as a coup (exactly what Nick and Chas wanted their hands on for Matt), the Silas car was instantly faster than Matt’s #84 sedan. With the blessing of Billy Silas, Matt traded the sedan for the coup, learned to drive it really fast, and collected his 1st Lowes victory in race 9 (double points). He then survived a horrendous crash in race 10, was placed to the rear for being involved, and drove the Silas car to the 2006 Lowes Championship

Bobby Ginn/Mark Martin – With the decision to formally retire from Legends at season’s end, the MBR future was unknown other than sponsor Bobby Ginn was now the proud owner of a full fledged NASCAR team with driver Mark Martin. The moon and stars were aligned and sure enough, Mark Martin made the dream phone call to Matt Bowers (who was riding a train through the Alps at the exact time), and offered him a ride. Folks, it absolutely does not get any better than that.

Tim and Chad Akins – Chad knew New Smyrna Speedway as well as anybody and would mentor Matt in a Pro Truck ride. With help from the Skinners, a good truck ride was a cakewalk. Matt ran 3 Pro Truck races with 3 top 3 finishes without a scratch.

Mike Fritts -
Shane Henry -
Glen Garrison –
Matt Martin - Mark’s team. It just does not get any better. Between the team and Matt, some of the biggest bass ever caught were in the ponds of Spruce Creek (after hours, Benny). Now that’s a team!

The Future – Most likely, many of these great people will come full circle with Matt. For 2008, Matt plans to re-unite with Nick and Chase Pistone. Another legend in the business may be in the making, and we look forward to the opportunity –

Wayne Anderson
Dick Anderson – November 10, 2007 – Matt makes his debut with the Anderson Team in his new #84x Super Late Model at Charlotte County Speedway. After a thorough chassis and body once over by Wayne, Dick Anderson assumed the role as crew chief! That is like having Charles Lindberg serve as your flight instructor! At a track Matt had never seen; in a car he had never driven; in an advanced series he barely knew, Matt laid down a 6th fastest time (without pushing it, according to Matt’s testimony). The 100 lap feature, counting cautions, was 195 laps! Matt brought the car home with one minor scratch; a 13th place finish; passed 50 cars in a 20 car field; but attracted and a stern warning from the flagman for aggressive driving. With that, both Wayne and Dick know exactly where the rough edges are, but were most impressed with the smooth edges. According to Matt, he learned more in one race than he learned in 11 years of racing. He also found two legends, masters at their trades that can place pure nitro adrenalin into a career path. This could be a ton of fun!