Behind the helmet, Alex Bowman was hiding a secret: the weight of rumors and self-doubt. With each race, whispers of him losing his Hendrick Motorsports seat grew louder, and hence, Bowman’s confidence dwindled. He even questioned his ability to win again, unsure if he’d ever reach the victory lane, as it’d already been 80 winless races. And as the Chicago race loomed, the #48 team was at a breaking point.

Weeks of disappointing results had taken a toll on the team, and the last month had been particularly grueling. In the five races before the season’s only street race, Bowman recorded a single top-10 finish, and engine problems didn’t help their case at all.

Therefore, we can only guess the sense of euphoria and satisfaction he must have felt when he crossed the checkered flag in Chicago. For a sense of it, we can only listen to what Bowman said and bask in his victory- “Everybody that said I couldn’t win and don’t deserve to be at Hendrick Motorsports and all that bullshit, cheers to you“.

This win marked Alex Bowman’s first victory since March 2022 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With his 8th Cup Series win, he has quieted the critics and secured his spot in the playoffs. As EssentiallySports covered the NASCAR weekend from Pocono, our on-ground team caught up with Chad Knaus, the team’s Vice President of Competition, to get his take on how the victory has impacted the team.

Chad Knaus’ take on Alex Bowman’s Chicago Street Race victory

As our NASCAR reporter, Bharat Aggarwal met up with Chad Knaus at the Pocono Raceway before the race to get some insights on Hendrick Motorsports’ position after the Chicago race he asked Knaus to reveal the mood in Bowman’s camp: “What is the feeling in Alex Bowman’s camp right now?”

In reply to Bharat’s question, Chad Knaus appreciatively mentioned that they are “pretty happy,” and further explained what the win means for the team.

“Obviously, after being able to win the race last week in Chicago, a lot of the guys on that team were first-time winners, so pretty neat to see those guys just basking in the glory of victory. I’m really proud of them, and you know that’s going to help elevate them. Momentum is everything in this industry, so I think it’s going to get them springboarded into more top-five finishes.”

With new members in the pit crew, this victory is a huge reason for celebration, as it marks the camp’s first win since 2022. As Knaus exclusively told Bharat Aggarwal, this is the first win for many team members, and a new standard for what is expected of them has now been set.

Now that Alex Bowman has joined the playoffs, the real competition is yet to begin. But they have proven to themselves that they can win races, and this achievement will only motivate them to push harder during the playoffs.

Sharing his perspective on Hendrick Motorsports’ current position as they head into the Pocono race, Knaus emphasized that the team’s performance will ultimately be determined by their results on the track. With that in mind, Team EssentiallySports and Lucky Dog on Track wishes Hendrick Motorsports the best of luck in the upcoming race.

Considering that Alex Bowman won the last race, do you think he has a chance to bring in a back-to-back win? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below.