Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Financial Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, will not compete in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Phoenix Raceway, after being diagnosed with vertigo this past week.
Alex Bowman will miss Phoenix after being diagnosed with vertigo this week.
"We’ll continue to support Alex and look forward to his return as soon as he’s medically cleared."https://t.co/hZpLfloBfc pic.twitter.com/Mzmwvsd7PU
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) March 5, 2026
The 32-year-old driver began experiencing symptoms during last Sunday’s event at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, which progressed to the point where Bowman had to exit his racecar on the 71st lap of the 95-lap contest, making way for FOX Sports pit spotter Myatt Snider to jump in the vehicle.
“Alex has worked very hard over the last several days,” said Jeff Andrews, President of Hendrick Motorsports. “We’re encouraged by the progress he’s making, but we have to prioritize his health above all else. It’s obviously frustrating for him because he’s a competitor and wants to be in the race car, especially at his home track. We’ll continue to support Alex and look forward to his return as soon as he’s medically cleared.”
Hendrick Motorsports has tapped its simulation and reserve driver, Anthony Alfredo, to compete in Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Alfredo is a full-time driver in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Viking Motorsports and has accrued 210 NASCAR National Series starts throughout his career.
“First and foremost, I hate it for Alex (Bowman),” said Anthony Alfredo, who will drive the No. 48 Chevrolet this weekend. “No race car driver wants to be in the position where they have to give up their seat for a weekend to someone else. His health is definitely the most important thing, and I hope he gets back to the track soon. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Blake (Harris, crew chief) and the No. 48 team for this race. It’s a group I’m already familiar with due to my relationship with Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet. The goal is to have a solid weekend at Phoenix (Raceway) and help get the team some good notes for future races.”
In its statement, Hendrick Motorsports says it will be requesting a medical waiver for Bowman to remain eligible for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship.
This isn’t the first time Bowman has been sidelined due to various health issues.
In 2022, Bowman was absent from five NASCAR Cup Series events after suffering a concussion in a wreck in Turn 3 and 4 at Texas Motor Speedway. The following season, the Tucson, Arizona-native broke his back in a sprint car wreck, causing him to miss three events.
The Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway will take place on Sunday, March 8 at 3:00 PM ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
