Alex Bowman is a bright and shining gem for Hendrick Motorsports. Since he entered into the team in 2018, it has been a historic ride for Bowman in the Cup Series. Following his career-best year (2021) with 4 wins in a season, he also became the first driver in NASCAR history to start in the front row in six straight Daytona 500 races. This time, after a controversial end to the race, he came in a close second. And the itch of the past weekend still has not left him.
Prior to his Cup Series debut in 2013 as a teenager, he made waves in Xfinity and the Arca Series, even winning the Arca Series Rookie of The Year in 2012. While he’s clearly come a long, long way, the Cup Series is on a different level. The fluctuating trajectory in the Cup Series can be confusing, as this year’s Daytona race made him realize that.
Alex Bowman is ambiguous about the Cup Series as the most challenging
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In a recent interview with Dale Jr Download, Bowman was asked if the Cup Series is tough for him. He did not have a clear-cut answer. Instead, he chose to reply with a sarcastic dig. “oh gosh, I’ve done it before, so it can’t be that hard, right? Super difficult.”
Alex Bowman’s love story with the Cup Series goes back to 2019. In his second full-time season with Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman snagged his first win in the Camping World 400 race at Chicago. Between 2019 and 2022, he brought home seven victories. But all love stories have a bitter side to them. Both 2022 and 2023 did not pan out well for Bowman.
In 2022, he missed five races due to concussion protocol. Likewise, in 2023, his ailing health got the better of him after he suffered a back injury driving a sprint car in a mid-week race. Hence he had to bid adieu to three races last season.
Bowman emphasized the perfect balance that needs to be struck amidst a plethora of talented drivers. “I think just a lot of things have to go right, especially at the Cup level. Everybody’s so good. So many teams are so good…any really high-level sport or competition is difficult for its own reasons…saying that Cup racing is the most difficult thing in professional sports is, maybe a little tough, right? I think the car has to be perfect, the team has to be perfect.”
Alex Bowman thundered into the 2024 season with revitalized energy. He has high hopes for his future in racing this year. But NASCAR is not the understanding one in the relationship, as doubts are still shrouding over Daytona’s deserving winner.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Bowman gives shocker post-Daytona
Trending
Despite 2023 Disaster, Chase Elliott Risks Angering Rick Hendrick by Choosing Alex Bowman’s HMS Banned Tactic
“There’s Going to Be a New Player”- Kyle Petty Warns the Entire NASCAR Garage With Bold Prediction About Spire Motorsports Star
Kurt Busch Finally Breaking Radio Silence After Criminal Charges Forced 3-Month-Long Hiatus Has NASCAR Fans Breathing Easy
Joey Logano Leaks NASCAR’s Threat to Kick Teams Out of Daytona 500 After Chevy’s Defiance to $400,000 Fine
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Was Caught Off-Guard by Ken Schrader’s Boozy ‘Bargaining’ Tactic
Amid a raging debate surrounding who should have won the Daytona 500, Alex Bowman recently got something off his chest. “To be honest, I felt like… They waited a long time to throw the yellow light. I think that’s the reason that I wasn’t more bummed about it than I was like to lose a Daytona 500 by 6000th of a second or whatever. It was definitely heartbreaking, but they could have thrown the caution probably a bit earlier and made that margin bigger, right?”
Read More: Bummed Alex Bowman Drops 8-Word Bomb on NASCAR’s Controversial Daytona 500 Decision
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
This came as a shocking revelation after Bowman initially admitted Byron’s deserving victory. But this is not the first time the checkered flag has eluded Bowman just shy of one place. He delivered high speed in 2019 but came second place in three races: Talladega, Dover, and Kansas. However, he ultimately clinched his 2019 title at Chicagoland.
Who knows, maybe Bowman’s luck will turn around later this season, starting with the Atlanta race this weekend.