Imago
Alex Bowman and Rick Hendrick | Image Credits: Imago
Imago
Alex Bowman and Rick Hendrick | Image Credits: Imago
Alex Bowman is right up there among the drivers with bad luck in NASCAR. Ever since he took command of the No. 48 car, things haven’t been fruitful, to say the least. Talk about bad luck, he missed multiple races in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, which further pushed him away from the success he was supposed to achieve at HMS. And just when it looked like he had a genuine shot at overturning his misfortunes this season, he hit another bump.
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At COTA, Bowman was forced to retire due to vertigo symptoms. This meant he would miss out on a big chunk of races in a format where every race counts. He wasn’t scheduled to return to racing at Bristol, but looking at the uphill climb the driver’s facing, this move makes sense.
Bowman now finds himself 144 points behind the playoff cutline with just 19 races remaining. To claw his way back into contention, he’ll need to average roughly 7.5 points per race more than the bubble drivers, which is naturally a steep ask in a field this competitive. And it’s not just the driver standings.
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Having missed the four races due to vertigo, Bowman is playing catch-up to the rest of the field. To be fair, all Bowman could do here was go with the flow. At COTA, the rising temperature was too much for him to handle, and he radioed his team about the discomfort. “Yeah, I’m pretty (expletive) here, buddy.” Upon hearing this, his crew chief, Blake Harris, advised him not to risk his health. And soon, Myatt Snider relieved Bowman of his duties.
Yet despite the suffering and hard grind, the HMS driver was focused on getting back on track.
Alex Bowman is 144 points behind the Chase bubble with 19 races left.
Bowman would need to make up roughly 7.5 points per race.
Meanwhile, the No. 48 car is 100 points back in the owner standings.
— Austin Konenski (@AustinKonenski) April 9, 2026
To be race-ready for Bristol, he ran good laps in the street car at a road course in North Carolina before practicing the pit stop. He also clocked some time in the simulators before passing a medical evaluation.
“We’re proud of Alex and the way he’s handled this situation,” HMS president Jeff Andrews said. “He’s put a lot of work into his recovery and followed the medical team’s plan every step of the way. From the outset, our goal was to prioritize his health and have him return when he was fully recovered and medically cleared. Clearly, HMS isn’t too bothered about the numbers or the points, yet there is a possibility that Bowman could make the Chase.
Now we’ve seen an insane comeback in the Chase era. Kyle Busch clinched the 2015 title after missing out on more than 10 races to start the season. So, Bowman’s comeback story isn’t a far-fetched idea, but a genuine attempt to close out the points gap and qualify for the Chase. And it makes sense now why Bristol is seen as the top choice to make a return, given the amount of success Bowman has had here.
In the last 4 starts, he had finished three races inside the top 10 and even led close to 80 laps. He also has two pole positions, so off the bat, the No. 48 team has been strong at Bristol, and they can get going in the hopes of making up for the lost time and points. Yet, this might not be enough for him to retain his spot to pilot the #48 car next year.
Is it time for HMS to look for other options beyond Bowman?
It is worth noting that Alex Bowman is in his contract year, like many Cup Series drivers. His last win came in Chicago in 2024, and ever since, he’s been chasing that elusive win. Compared to his teammates, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron, all of whom have had multiple race wins. And Bowman looks like an odd man out.
Qualifying for the Chase or playoffs isn’t the expectation for a driver piloting an HMS Chevy. Yet despite the clear lack of racing-winning speed or performance, the leadership has backed the driver.
“I think what we’ve worked on the most is just making sure he knows he’s got the support behind him. But beyond that, yeah, it’s the noise that’s been around. Some of the things there. You know, this is our guy, and we’re happy to see them doing well.” Jeff Gordon said this last year, reaffirming Bowman’s place within HMS.
But how long can HMS ignore the trend of a driver delivering just good enough results, not wins? Well, a lot of this depends on how Bowman sees out the rest of the 2026 season.
