It’s been over a year since Alex Bowman’s last trip to victory lane. 2023 was a bumpy ride for the Chevy star owing to a brutal sprint car crash in late April. However, that doesn’t seem to have put his spirit down, as the #48 driver picked up his second top-5 this season at Bristol Motor Speedway. The ensuing rumor that he should be worried about his job at Hendrick Motorsports, owing to his 2023 miseries, is nothing but fake news.
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“Mr. Hendrick and Ally (Bowman’s primary sponsor) have made it super clear that they have faith in me,” he said. “I don’t think the outside sometimes sees the whole picture of everything that’s going on. We’ve fought a lot of different things, and I think we’re all doing everything we can to get better.”
Bowman eyes a much-needed victory at the Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway on April 8. Why skip COTA or Richmond and aim straight for Martinsville?
Martinsville is a special racetrack for Hendrick Motorsports. Back in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports was on the verge of shutting down in its first year of operation due to financial issues before Geoff Bodine won a race at the shortest track on NASCAR’s current schedule. Therefore, winning a trophy in the team’s 40th anniversary season would be rewarding for everyone, including Bowman.
How high is the pressure to succeed?
Knowing how important the race is for the Chevy team, it goes without saying that Bowman is feeling the pressure. But the pressure for Bowman is not just because it’s a special racetrack or it’s the 40th anniversary season for HMS.
Bowman wants to regain his winning momentum. He doesn’t care about what people think. He just wants to win races like he used to, and he wants that for himself more than he wants that for his team.
“I don’t really give a f*** about the rest of it. Running how we have has been so frustrating,” he admitted. “I’ve worked super hard and done everything that I can to get back to where we need to be. So, I don’t feel outside pressure, it’s just me wanting to win for me.”
