Hendrick Motorsports issued a positive update regarding Alex Bowman, the driver of the team’s No. 48 Chevrolet, who has been out of action since the event at Circuit of the Americas on March 1. Bowman, who has been suffering from a vertigo diagnosis, has officially been medically cleared and will return to competition this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway to run Sunday’s Food City 500.
The 32-year-old racer expressed gratitude to his race team and sponsors for supporting him through the difficult challenge of being unable to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series while he focused on his health.
“I’m grateful for the support I’ve had from Hendrick Motorsports, my sponsor Ally, our fans, and the medical team throughout this process,” Bowman said in a release from the team. “It’s been tough being out of the car, but we all wanted to make sure I was 100% ready before returning. I feel really good, and I’m excited about being at the track with my team and getting back to racing.”
According to the team, Bowman turned laps around the Ten Tenths Motor Club road course in Concord, NC, on Tuesday in a street car. The following day, the driver participated in pit stop practice, simulator testing, and had a medical evaluation. Following the rigorous schedule, and suffering no setbacks, Bowman was formally cleared for competition, and the team notes that he has been given no restrictions.
Hendrick Motorsports is proud of Bowman for the tireless effort and dedication he showed through the process, and is ready to see their full-time driver behind the wheel of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet.
“We’re proud of Alex and the way he’s handled this situation,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “He’s put a lot of work into his recovery and followed the medical team’s plan every step of the way. From the outset, our goal was to prioritize his health and have him return when he was fully recovered and medically cleared. We’re looking forward to seeing Alex back in his race car this weekend.”
Bowman, a native of Tucson, AZ, has eight career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series in a career spanning 364 starts.
The racer missed the events at Phoenix Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway, and Martinsville Speedway. Anthony Alfredo filled in for Bowman at Phoenix, while Allgaier sat in for him at Vegas, Darlington, and Martinsville.
Allgaier’s 22nd-place finish at Martinsville was the best finish for the relief drivers over the four-race stretch.
