Alex Bowman had a good start to the 2023 NASCAR season but after he suffered a back injury in a sprint car race, he never regained his momentum. Because of this, Bowman’s weekend job, his primary job, which is undoubtedly extremely important for him, suffered. So because of what he and those associated with him went through in 2023, the #48 driver won’t take any chances in 2024.
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While talking to SiriusXM NASCAR radio, Bowman admitted that next season, things are going to be different.
Bowman stated that he is not going to risk his Cup Series ride just because he loves taking part in Sprint Car races. “I won’t be in a winged Sprint car for the foreseeable future,” said Bowman. “It’s just gonna be something that I’m gonna push off until I’m at that point in my life where it’s what I wanna do and it’s not going to take away from anything else.”
Clear regret resonated from Bowman’s voice as he said, “Look what I did to us this year. We go from being extremely strong every week and upfront in points and all that, to a really tough rest of the year. I don’t need to do that again.”
🗣️ @Alex_Bowman says his racing schedule outside of #NASCAR will significantly change following his injury during the 2023 season ⬇️
💭 "I won't be in a winged sprint car for the foreseeable future […] I made the decision and then my decision got reinforced by management." pic.twitter.com/ehj4UvRWZh
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) December 13, 2023
A hiatus from a Cup ride pays a huge toll not just on the team, but on the sponsors too. “I’ve missed 10 Cup races in the last two years for injuries. For Ally, and Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet and everybody that puts so much in the #48 program, like, I can’t afford to miss more races. I need to be in the car every week,” he added.
However, one would wonder if this decision was entirely Bowman’s own or whether it was something that the management of Hendrick Motorsports imposed on the speedster.
Did Alex Bowman make his decision after listening to Jeff Gordon’s advice ?
Speaking about this decision, Bowman revealed that it was entirely his own, but it got reinforced by the management at HMS. “It (decision) was mine at first and then my decision got reinforced by the management. To be honest with you, I had already made that decision on my own,” he said.
On that note, team VP Jeff Gordon had nothing against his drivers taking part in fun activities during their time off. Gordon said in an interview, “I don’t have a problem with the things they do. Just be smart about it and make wise choices.”
Hence, Hendrick Motorsports has not banned its drivers from taking part in non-NASCAR activities. But the 4X Cup Series champion and HMS VP Jeff Gordon urged his drivers to be more responsible, provided that they are competing in an elite-level racing series, something that resonates in Bowman’s words.
