NASCAR Cup Series: 5 playoff drivers who could be in trouble
By Asher Fair
NASCAR playoff drivers in trouble: No. 4 – Alex Bowman
Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman had the opportunity to lead the NASCAR Cup Series point standings for the first time in his career earlier this year. He quickly lost it when he and the No. 48 team lost 100 points as a result of a violation relating to the hood louvers at Phoenix Raceway.
Bowman regained the lead when that points penalty was overturned a few weeks later. But he was then docked 60 points for a greenhouse violation related to the No. 48 Chevrolet’s windshield after the ensuing weekend’s race at Richmond Raceway.
Now he is out for at least three or four races as a result of the fact that he suffered a fractured vertebra in a sprint car crash.
After just one missed start, he has already dropped to a 14th place tie in the point standings. Sitting just 39 points above the cut line now, he is almost sure to drop below it by the time he returns.
It’s almost like this just isn’t meant to be Bowman’s year, which is ironic considering the fact that he had been having the strongest start of his career.
Bowman has won at least one race in each of the last four years. But is there truly a track remaining on the schedule where the driver accused of “backing into wins” can be considered the favorite?
Since joining Hendrick Motorsports as a full-time driver in 2018, he has never missed the playoffs, and he has never not advanced to at least the round of 12. Could that change in 2023?