After stepping back from the NASCAR postseason spotlight in 2023, Alex Bowman made a return to the playoffs in 2024, marking his sixth appearance in a decade-long NASCAR Cup Series career. He advanced to the Round of 12 and was on the verge of breaking into the Round of 8 when his #48 Chevy was disqualified in the round finale at the Charlotte Roval for not meeting the post-race minimum weight requirement.
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Looking ahead with high expectations for the upcoming season, his team at Hendrick Motorsports remains bullish about his prospects. They recently expressed their optimism on their official X handle, stating: “The No. 48 @allyracing team is setting the bar high for 2025 after an outstanding 2024 performance. Are you ready?”
Despite ending the season ranked P9, his second-best career finish after ranking P6 in 2020, Bowman achieved a personal record with 17 top-10 finishes this year, tying his previous best of 8 top-5s.
The No. 48 @allyracing team is setting the bar high for 2025 after an outstanding 2024 performance. Are you ready?https://t.co/QthXFO1BAM
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) January 3, 2025
Fans, buoyed by his performance, are hopeful for the future, with one commenting, “Time for another multi-win season, and maybe a round of 8 appearance.”
Another fan exclaimed, “Hell yea!! He got cheated out of the, 2024 playoffs,” talking about a sense of injustice over his playoff disqualification, while another supporter expressed, “Love to see Bowman do good! I hope he shows the series what’s up this season!”
Reflecting on his overall performance in the 2024 season, Bowman acknowledged a rocky start, noting his placements in the early races at Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Phoenix where he finished P27, P18, and P20, respectively. He commented on the season’s fluctuations, stating:
“I think we were a bit streaky in the beginning of the year. Like there were points where we were really consistent and then we would kind of fall off and then get it back.”
However, confident in his potential, Bowman outlined his expectations for 2025 saying, “So, yeah, I mean I think it just kind of lined up for us a little bit, but I mean, we definitely have the potential as a team, we’re all capable. Just need to put it all together.”
Looking ahead, the anticipation for Bowman’s performance in the next season, starting in February, is high, especially considering the success of his teammates.
While all his teammates advanced to at least the Round of 8 in 2024, William Byron escalated to the Championship 4. It will be intriguing to see if Bowman can harness his team’s potential and elevate his results in the upcoming competitions.
The reason behind high expectations from Bowman and Co.
The height of his season was his victory at the Chicago Street Course, which secured his team’s spot in the playoffs. However, the confidence his team holds in him isn’t merely aspirational; it’s grounded in his proven versatility across various track types.
Though Bowman has yet to claim victory on a superspeedway, with his closest effort yielding a P2 finish behind teammate William Byron in 2024 at the Daytona 500, his track record is nonetheless impressive.
Of his eight career victories at Hendrick Motorsports, he has won twice on short tracks at Martinsville and Richmond, twice on 1.5-mile tracks at Las Vegas and Chicagoland Speedway, twice on 2-mile tracks at Auto Club Speedway and Pocono, once on a 1-mile oval at Dover, and most recently, he celebrated a win on a road course this year.
