At The Roval, Alex Bowman didn’t win but was able to snag a Stage-2 win with a P18 finish… which was just about enough to crawl his way into the next round of NASCAR’s Playoffs. His #48 Chevy was sent to post-race inspection, and turned out to be way more than 17 pounds lighter than the minimum requirements: DQ slammed, points wiped out, and Bowman was out of the Playoffs in an instant!

Joey Logano was restored to the Round of 8. Completing post-race inspection was nearly a three-hour deal for NASCAR following last Sunday’s race. After post-race media obligations, Bowman was well headed back to his place—a hop, skip, and a jump from the track grounds at Concord—to reunite with his charcoal Labrador retriever, Finn. All fine and dandy until…

Apparently, NASCAR officials initially tried to cut the team some slack. They did so by adding fuel and reweighing it. But it wasn’t Bowman’s day that day. How did Bowman finally find it out? First, a call from his crew chief Blake Harris that said there was a hiccup in the post-race inspection, and then, confirmed news in the most relatable way possible—via Twitter. And he handled it in the most dramatic way possible!

Before practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, reporters approached Bowman, and that’s when he revealed that he didn’t hear it from his team first but through social media, just as the flurry of messages began flooding his phone. The situation took a bizarre turn when his waterlogged phone triggered an emergency call to 911, alerting authorities to a possible car crash. Reflecting on the chaotic series of events, Bowman laughed it off, saying,

“I proceeded to throw my phone in the pool, and my phone proceeded to call 9-1-1 and tell them I was in a car crash, so, my Sunday night wasn’t very good, if I’m being honest with you.

“So, it hit the bottom of the pool, and I walked away. And 20 minutes later, I’m like, ‘Okay, I should probably get my phone out of the pool.’ Because, you know, iPhones are waterproof so it’s like you’re throwing your — and when I say throw, I just kind of tossed it when I walked inside. Because I knew my phone was about to start blowing up, and I really didn’t want to see any of it at that point, right?

“Luckily, your phone doesn’t have service from the bottom of the pool. So, nothing came of it, but it tried. I guess they have a new thing where they like report that you’ve been in a car crash if the phone feels something. So, that happened. It’s a true story.”

The week had more trying times in reserve for Bowman though. After the wicked day, he walked out to his garage and saw one of the windows cracked. He later clarified chuckling, “I didn’t throw my phone at the car, it was in the pool. And then, my roof was leaking, and I had to get my roof fixed this week. It’s been a week, man.“

HMS quickly owned up to the mistake, apologizing to the fans and sponsors, and deciding not to appeal the penalty. It was a tough blow for the team, but Bowman acknowledged, “We win or lose as a team.”

Section 14.17.2.2.C of the Cup Rule Book states: “After a vehicle has raced, the minimum overall vehicle weight of all vehicles must be within 0.5% of the minimum overall vehicle weight required at the start of the Race.” 0.5% which roughly translates to 17 pounds, and not meeting the required number despite HMS getting some wiggle room, the weight number must have been way off!

Although Bowman got out in the top 8 eliminations, HMS still has three drivers in the championship, with Kyle Larson being a title favorite.

Still, it’s Hendrick Motorsports dominance into the playoffs

After the tough hit of Alex Bowman’s technicality disqualification, Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Chase Elliott all made it into the top 8. As of now,

• Kyle Larson is leading the playoff picture and the regular season, and because of his performance all year, many believe that he can bring home the title. He is currently 33 points above the elimination cutoff, and winning at The Roval only helped boost his name as a speculated winner.
• William Byron too has been performing quite well by staying in the safe zone of the playoffs, but that could change at any point considering he is sitting right on the line with 4 points above the cutoff. Despite not being closer to Kyle Larson in the standings, Kevin Harvick and Bob Pockrass believe that he will make it into the top 4. Hendrick Motorsports has some serious momentum this season, and if they keep it up, there is a strong chance that they bag the title.

• While Chase Elliott is in the playoff’s top 8, he hasn’t been consistent with his performance all season. Currently 7th and 9 points under the cutoff line, his chances at the title might disappear if he doesn’t surprise fans with a win.

With Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI Racing, and Team Penske drivers in the top 8, it’s not going to be an easy job to fend off the other drivers who are equally hungry for the championship win. What are your predictions for the top 4?