NASCAR: Should underfunded teams such as BK Racing target young drivers?

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 10: Gray Gaulding, driver of the DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 10: Gray Gaulding, driver of the #23 Toyota, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

3 of 9

MARTINSVILLE, VA – OCTOBER 24: Alex Bowman, driver of the #23 DipYourCar.com Toyota (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images) /

Alex Bowman (continued)

Fast forward two years and two full-time NASCAR Cup Series seasons later, and Alex Bowman has just four top 20 finishes in 72 races for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin the 2014 and 2015 season, respectively.

At this point in his career, he was left without a full-time ride in any NASCAR series. His time at BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing left him without any meaningful statistics to speak of and an evident lack of confidence.

Bowman was lucky to be granted a few races in the #88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series in 2016, and he managed to secure three top 5 finishes and seven top 10 finishes in nine races.

Bowman had this to say about those races, according to USA Today:

"“Dale Earnhardt Jr. saved my career two years ago when he gave me that chance in the Xfinity car. Without him saying, ‘Hey put Alex in it,’ I don’t think that Hendrick Motorsports really would have thought of me (for Earnhardt’s replacement.)”"

So, Bowman’s career saved by a lucky break. What if Dale Earnhardt Jr. had never asked him to drive his car? He may have never found his way to the Cup Series again, and certainly not for Hendrick Motorsports.

Home/NASCAR