Alex Bowman will continue to be sidelined from NASCAR Cup Series competition. The driver of the No. 48 has not been on-track since the March 1 race at Circuit of The Americas, where he made a premature exit due to vertigo.
The eight-time Cup Series winner remained out in the past two races at Phoenix and Las Vegas. On Tuesday, it was announced that the Tuscon, Arizona native will miss another three NASCAR Cup Series races.
Justin Allgaier will be in the fill-in driver for Bowman and wheel the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports car at Darlington, Martinsville, and Bristol.
HMS executive says Bowman ‘continues to experience’ vertigo symptoms
In a statement released by HMS on Tuesday, it was revealed that Bowman will miss at least the next three NASCAR Cup Series races as he focuses on recovering from vertigo.
Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of HMS, said in the statement that they are being mindful of the 32-year-old driver’s health as he continues to experience vertigo symptoms.
Andrews added that Bowman is working extensively to get back to NASCAR competition. The executive added that the organization is behind him through the tough times.
“Alex continues to experience symptoms, so we are following the guidance of the medical team and giving him the time he needs to recover. We see how hard he’s working to get back behind the wheel, and we’re looking forward to his return when he’s medically cleared. Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports is 100% behind Alex.”
Allgaier, who filled in for Bowman this past weekend at Las Vegas, will remain in the No. 48 car for at least the next three races.
Andrews said Allgaier is someone HMS trusts to do well as they’re looking forward to seeing what he can do over the next three races.
“Justin is a true professional and someone we have tremendous confidence in. He’s had success at the upcoming tracks, and we appreciate him stepping in to help the No. 48 team. We’re also grateful to our partners at JR Motorsports for understanding the situation and making Justin available,” Andrews said.
Bowman exited the March 1 race at COTA after 70 of 95 laps once he started experiencing symptoms. Myatt Snider hopped behind the wheel of the No. 48 machine to finish the remaining circuits.
Anthony Alfredo was the fill-in driver for Bowman at Phoenix. Unfortunately, it did not end well as Alfredo posted a DNF after getting caught up in a crash.
Bowman’s continued absence make Chase hopes look bleak
Prior to his vertigo diagnosis, it had already been a tough start to the season for Alex Bowman.
The HMS driver finished 40th in the Daytona 500 after getting caught up in a wreck. The next week, he posted a 23rd-place finish at EchoPark Speedway.
Bowman currently sits 36th in the points standings, last among full-time drivers, with only 23 points to his name. With his continued absence, Bowman’s chances at making The Chase might be out the window.
On top of that, Bowman is in a contract year with Hendrick Motorsports. It has yet to be announced if he will return to the team in 2027.
Alex Bowman to Miss Next Three NASCAR Cup Series Races