Alex Bowman has not had a good start to the year, finishing 40th, 23rd, and 36th in the three races he has taken part in so far. He also had to deal with health issues that forced him to retire from one race.
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After leaving the race at the Circuit of the Americas midway due to the heat inside his car, Bowman missed the race in Phoenix. He will also miss the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend. Hendrick Motorsports has said there is no clear timeline for his return following the vertigo diagnosis.
The NASCAR community as a whole has shown support for Bowman. However, Denny Hamlin shared a blunt view while commenting on the No. 48 driver’s road back to being a contender this season.
“I think if you took his median performance over the regular season, you would say that it’s over. If he comes back and runs better than his averages, I think he could make it, which means you’ve got to get a lot of stage points,” said Hamlin.
“He’s going to need to probably win a race. Then I think he has a shot. A lot of points can be made up. You can’t just finish good. He’s going to have to run good and finish good, and there is a difference,” the Joe Gibbs Racing driver added.
How does missing races affect Alex Bowman’s playoff chances? pic.twitter.com/KPPRFEO42K
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Hamlin explained that the change in playoff structure as a reason the situation will play out tougher for Bowman to get back into playoff contention. Things may have panned out differently in past seasons. The end of the “win and you’re in” path means a single victory after a long absence will not serve as a shortcut into the postseason.
In the old setup, if a driver missed several weeks and then returned to win the summer race at Daytona International Speedway, that result alone could have punched a ticket to the playoffs. In Hamlin’s view, that path never sat right with many, including himself.
Now the focus is on the standings table. And points will primarily decide the whole narrative. And the driver in the 16th place at the end of the regular season will claim the final playoff spot, period. Regardless of whether he has won or not won any races.
