Last year, when NASCAR disqualified Alex Bowman from the Charlotte Roval for a car-weight violation — costing him a Round of 8 berth — it opened the door for Joey Logano but crushed the hopes of many, especially given Bowman’s promising playoff form. This season initially appeared to mark a clean slate, as Bowman stormed out of the gate with five top-10 finishes, including one top-five, in the first six races. But the tide has since turned.
Advertisement
While losing far more often than winning is par for the course in NASCAR, drivers at least aim to stay within striking distance. Bowman, however, has struggled to even stay in the hunt. Over the last nine races, he’s logged seven finishes of 27th or worse, with only one top-10 at Talladega and a top-five at Kansas to show for it.
His latest outing at Michigan also unraveled in brutal fashion. Caught in a multi-car melee, Bowman slammed nose-first into the wall in his No. 48 Chevrolet, ending his day in 36th place. He entered the race 12th in the standings but slipped to 13th after this costly setback. The chaos began when Austin Cindric tangled with Cole Custer and Daniel Suarez, setting off a chain reaction that left Bowman with nowhere to go on lap 67.
Citing the series of events, SiriusXM’s Davey Segal chimed in, posting on X: “@Alex_Bowman is in a really, really rough stretch right now. His last 9 races (after 5 of his first 6 finishes were inside the top 10): 27th, 35th, 37th (engine), 7th, 35th (crash), 5th, 29th, 36th and now another DNF after a hard wreck. Needs something good to happen.”
.@Alex_Bowman is in a really, really rough stretch right now.
His last 9 races (after 5 of his first 6 finishes were inside the top 10):
27th, 35th, 37th (engine), 7th, 35th (crash), 5th, 29th, 36th and now another DNF after a hard wreck.
Needs something good to happen.
— Davey Segal (@DaveyCenter) June 8, 2025
Fans wasted no time voicing their concerns. One wrote, “He’s my favorite Hendrick driver, but unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine his future at Hendrick lasting any longer than his current contract. Even if he wins a few races between now and then, I just can’t see them keeping him around. Only factor is Ally’s loyalty.”
Another added, “Agreed. Huge Bowman fan but something needs to happen. I’m confident he can get it together, but it needs to happen sooner rather than later.” A frustrated supporter didn’t hold back: “Really sucks being a Bowman fan. This is bordering on 2009-2010 Dale Jr. level sh—iness. These past 2 months have been an absolute disaster. So damn frustrating.”
One fan even speculated about the future of the No. 48 ride: “How many years before Hocevar is in the 48?”
For now, Bowman sets his sights on uncharted territory as the Cup Series heads to Mexico for its long-awaited debut. With an average road course finish of 15.1, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez could offer the much-needed break to halt his downward spiral.
