On October 13th, 2024, Alex Bowman had all but punched his ticket to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. However, a post-race inspection revealed Bowman’s car was too light, eliminating him from contention as the spot went to eventual series champion Joey Logano. Bowman was distraught as he missed out on what would have been only the second Round of 8 appearance of his career, and even admitted to throwing his phone in the swimming pool in frustration! However, fast forward to 2025, and Bowman faces a bigger challenge.
The Hendrick Motorsports #48 remains winless since triumphing at the rain-soaked streets of Chicago in 2024. While Bowman has shown flashes of considerable speed this campaign, reckless driving has led to inconsistent results, placing him in a fierce battle for a spot in the playoffs with just 5 races to go. As the field heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400, Bowman opened up on his season so far.
Alex Bowman’s candid admission
Asked about his recent climb back up the standings, Alex Bowman didn’t sugarcoat his feelings: “No, no, not really,” he said of whether his recovery to ninth in points brought much comfort. Bowman’s position in the standings comes after a challenging middle stretch where both his speed and results fluctuated. In 21 races, Bowman has secured five top-5s and 11 top-10s, but a win continues to elude the No. 48 team, leaving an average finish of 16.8 that reflects the struggle to consistently seal strong results. Compared to last season, when he averaged 12.4 before the same race window, there’s a tangible step down in performance, raising the urgency for a turnaround.
Bowman gave an honest admission while speaking to Frontstretch. When asked if he felt comfortable making it on points with 5 races to go, while he sits +53 on the playoff cutline, Bowman said, “You know it’s a speedway race and road courses in there and stuff. I think it can definitely be tough. So, just trying to be on the right side of things. Obviously, a win would solve all of our problems, but we’re back up to ninth in points and kinda pointed back in the direction that we should be after what was a rough couple of months. The last month or so we’ve been doing a lot of the right things, and I’m just glad to have some progress in the right direction.”
The months of May and June were rough going for Alex Bowman, as he managed just one top-10 and four finishes of 29th or worse across 5 points-paying races. Strategic calls remain a focal point for the team, and Bowman is candid about putting his trust in crew chief Blake Harris: “We’re glad that’s Blake’s call, not mine. That’s a hard call to make,” he admitted, referencing the razor-thin margins dictated by late-race cautions and pit decisions, especially at Indianapolis.
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA NASCAR All-Star Race May 18, 2025 North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman 48 is introduced before the NASCAR All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway. North Wilkesboro North Wilkesboro Speedway North Carolina USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPeterxCaseyx 20250518_pjc_bc1_135
Heading to the Brickyard, Bowman reflected on his 31st-place finish last year after a series of late-race wrecks ruined his bid for a strong finish. Bowman added, “Last year, it opened itself up to a lot of opportunity. Could do the same this year, or it could just go green, and the fastest guy wins. Not that the fastest guy didn’t still end up winning last year, but one guy could pass and forty of us couldn’t.” Kyle Larson ended up taking the spoils after leading 8 laps of the crown jewel event last year; however, lack of tire wear and the Next-Gen car’s parity proved to be an issue as passing was tougher than ever at the track.
Despite history not favoring the #48 at Indianapolis with zero top-20 finishes in his 6 Cup starts at the track, he will have to keep his spirits high after a recent stretch of inspiring performances.
What lies ahead for Alex Bowman?
After finishing 19th and being eliminated from the In-Season Challenge by Ty Dillon at Sonoma, Alex Bowman bounced back with a standout drive at Dover Motor Speedway, finishing third. A performance that offered both points and hope as the playoff push intensifies. Starting 16th, Bowman methodically gained ground throughout the 407-lap race, earning crucial stage points and clinching his sixth top-5 result of the season.
Statistically, Dover has been a stronghold for Alex Bowman: he’s now finished eighth or better in seven of his last eight visits, including a 2021 victory and six top-5 finishes in that stretch. This latest third-place run helped solidify his playoff cushion, pushing his advantage over the cut line to +63 points and moving him to 14th in the standings with 547 points and no wins yet in 2025.
Bowman acknowledged the pressure and the need for more after Dover: “We’ve been really good here for a long time, so obviously you want to be a couple spots better. But proud of the team… obviously, a good points day, but we need a whole lot more right now. I needed to figure out a way to capitalize on it a little bit better. I never really made that happen”.
Looking ahead, Bowman faces a slate of challenging tracks like Daytona and Watkins Glen, which have proven to be wildcards in the past with the likes of Harrison Burton winning at Daytona in 2024 and currently winless road course aces like Michael McDowell and AJ Allmendinger eyeing Watkins Glen. His improved consistency has steadied his season after mid-year setbacks, but the elusive victory remains the missing piece that would secure his playoff position and reshape the narrative of his 2025 campaign. Do you think Alex Bowman can win his way into the 2025 playoffs? Let us know in the comments!
The post Worried Alex Bowman Talks About What He Needs to Turn the Season Around appeared first on EssentiallySports.
