Alex Bowman was never seen as the best driver in Hendrick Motorsports camp, but the last two consecutive races proved something else after he managed to beat his teammates to the chequered flag. The #48 driver was confident after winning the Chicago Street Race last weekend. On Sunday, he masterfully navigated the ‘Tricky Triangle’ and came to the finish line in P3.
Advertisement
Bowman’s team is gradually becoming a regular contender for race wins. But there’s still a long way to go. The #48 driver will be hoping to hit a purple patch of form during the playoffs to have a solid chance at winning the championship.
Just another solid day from @Alex_Bowman (P3).
This is his sixth top five of 2024, the most he's had since eight in 2021. pic.twitter.com/pHDyT7k3Lh
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 14, 2024
“I think we are getting there. We have things we need to do better but we are definitely heading in the right direction for sure,” he said after the Pocono race.
A P3 finish is considered a good result for most drivers but Bowman was not happy with it. After all, he started on the front row during the final restart and would have preferred to challenge for the win.
Why couldn’t Bowman race for the win on the final restart?
He and his crew had to make adjustments to the car which helped him finish high up the pack. However, that limited his ability to fight for the win. Speaking to a reporter after the race, the #48 car explained those adjustments. He might have been able to fight for the win had he been in the right settings.
“We struggled with our car in traffic quite a bit, probably made most of our adjustments based on the traffic, and then just got too free there at the end when we got some free air,” Bowman said.
A season that did not see the #48 fight for wins has suddenly turned around after the Chicago result. Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports will hope that this form lasts until the end of the season. Moving forward the Cup Series heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Verizon 200 At The Brickyard, Bowman will be hoping to carry forth his momentum and possibly capture another win for himself ahead of the playoffs.
