NASCAR: Hendrick lineup change confirmed for next three races

Alex Bowman is set to miss the next three NASCAR Cup Series races as he continues to focus on his health following his crash at Texas Motor Speedway.

After undergoing another evaluation on Wednesday in Pittsburgh by Dr. Michael “Micky” Collins, clinical director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman has been ruled out for each of the next three races on the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

Bowman missed the final two races of the round of 12 of the playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval after his single-car crash at Texas Motor Speedway to open up the round.

While the crash may have appeared minor, with Bowman even able to finish the race afterward, he described the hit as the hardest hit he had ever experienced, and it left him with concussion-like symptoms.

JR Motorsports Xfinity Series driver Noah Gragson filled in for Bowman behind the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, and he is set to fill in for him in the three upcoming races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway as well.

There are just four races remaining on the 2022 schedule. The earliest Bowman can return now is for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, November 6.

Here is what Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports, had to say about Bowman’s status in a team release.

"“We have a tremendous amount of respect for the entire staff at UPMC. Our priority continues to be Alex’s recovery and long-term health, and we will follow the plan that Dr. Collins and his team recommend. We’re not looking past the next three races and will evaluate plans for the season finale (at Phoenix Raceway) as the event approaches.”"

Bowman is one of two drivers currently sidelined with concussion-like symptoms stemming from a relatively minor looking single-car accident. 23XI Racing’s Kurt Busch has been out since a qualifying wreck at Pocono Raceway back in July, and many believe that he could decide to retire.

The 29-year-old Tucson, Arizona native won the March race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. He advanced to the round of 12 for the fifth straight season as well, but his championship bid came to an end when he missed the second and third races of the three-race second round.

Gragson had been set to drive the #16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in this Sunday’s South Point 400, but with him moving to the #48 Chevrolet, A.J. Allmendinger is now set to drive the #16 Chevrolet in this 267-lap race at the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas, Nevada oval.

It is expected that Allmendinger will also drive the car at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway as he prepares to make the full-time move to the Cup Series in 2023, especially since Gragson is already set to drive the #48 Chevrolet in those two races as well.