Before making his eighth full-time Cup Season with Hendrick Motorsports at the Daytona 500, Alex Bowman is currently enjoying his time at Chili Bowl Nationals, midget racing’s biggest event held annually in SageNet Center at Tulsa (Oklahoma) Expo Square. However, Bowman isn’t just participating as a competitor; he’s also leading his team, Alex Bowman Racing, which is fielding four additional drivers at the nearly week-long celebration.
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His team roster boasts talents like Jake Swanson, CJ Leary, Kevin Thomas, Jr., and the up-and-coming Briggs Danner. Reflecting on Bowman’s leadership, in a video shared by his sponsors at Ally Racing, team driver CJ Leary praised the dynamics within the team, saying, “Actually Alex is really cool. He’s pretty laid-back. Our leash is pretty free. He lets us do whatever we want. He’s great, really. I can’t ask for a better boss.”
Meanwhile, Bowman opened up about the dynamic within his team. He humorously remarked, “I guess we’re an unprofessional race team and it really consists of me and some friends which is called Alex Bowman Racing.”
“We’re really original around these parts. Even when we were racing a lot, we had a full-time crew chief at the time and I didn’t ever tell him no to anything. So now I have a lot of stuff.”
From preparing Chili Bowl entries to managing his employees, @alex_bowman has a hand in everything when it comes to owning his business, @ABR_teams! pic.twitter.com/KP90wZbC8F
— Ally Racing (@allyracing) January 12, 2025
Bowman also expressed gratitude towards his sponsor, Ally, acknowledging their crucial support. “We wouldn’t be able to race as much to do without Ally’s support, obviously. And they made a lot possible with me getting to race the sprint car.” He shared that his team prioritizes racing when it’s convenient and enjoyable, striving to keep the atmosphere free from excessive pressure.
He emphasized the simplicity and camaraderie within the team, stating, that since it’s all about no politics, so they go out there and give 100% every night, just a group of friends pushing through together.
Get to know the drivers of Alex Bowman Racing
Jake Swanson, piloting the #55a, is a childhood friend and long-time competitor of Bowman. He also shares a similar grassroots racing pedigree to the Hendrick Motorsports driver. The duo have a storied history together, with both having won titles on the USAC’s West Coast dirt track events.
CJ Leary, who takes the wheel of the #55v for ABR, is the 2019 USAC Sprint Car National Champion and has been a fixture at the Chili Bowl with ABR since 2018. Kevin Thomas from Avon, Indiana, another tough talent, drives the #55x car. A sprint car standout, Thomas has amassed numerous victories across the national USAC Series.
In the 2024 race, Swanson, Leary, and Thomas all competed under the ABR banner, each making impressive A-Main appearances. Briggs Danner, steering the #55i, is also a driver to watch. A seasoned competitor, Danner heads into his fourth Nationals appearance as the 2022 and 2023 United States Auto Club (USAC) East Coast sprint car champion.
