Hendrick Motorsports Driver Bowman Sidelined for at Least 3 More NASCAR Races

Vertigo symptoms force Bowman to miss upcoming races at Darlington, Martinsville, and Bristol

Mar. 18, 2026 at 4:05am

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Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman will miss at least the next three NASCAR Cup Series races as he continues to recover from vertigo symptoms that forced him to exit the March 1 race at Circuit of the Americas. Bowman has been replaced by various drivers in the No. 48 Chevrolet, including Myatt Snider, Anthony Alfredo, and Justin Allgaier, who will fill in for the upcoming races at Darlington, Martinsville, and Bristol.

Why it matters

Bowman's absence is a significant blow to his playoff hopes, as he currently sits 36th in the Cup standings, 232 points behind the leader. The top 16 drivers qualify for NASCAR's playoffs, and Bowman was coming off a 2025 season where he made the postseason and finished 13th in the standings.

The details

Bowman had to exit the March 1 race at Circuit of the Americas because he was not feeling well. He was replaced mid-race and diagnosed with vertigo, and has missed races at Phoenix and Las Vegas since. Allgaier will fill in for Bowman again starting this weekend at Darlington Raceway, then at Martinsville Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.

  • On March 1, Bowman had to exit the race at Circuit of the Americas due to vertigo symptoms.
  • Bowman has missed the races at Phoenix and Las Vegas since the incident at COTA.
  • Allgaier will fill in for Bowman at Darlington Raceway this weekend, as well as the upcoming races at Martinsville Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.

The players

Alex Bowman

A 32-year-old NASCAR Cup Series driver from Tucson, Arizona, who has been a full-time driver for Hendrick Motorsports since 2018. He has 8 wins, 46 top fives, and 112 top 10s in 364 Cup starts over 12 seasons, with a best finish of 6th in the standings in 2020.

Hendrick Motorsports

A NASCAR team that fields cars for several high-profile drivers, including Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, and William Byron.

Justin Allgaier

A NASCAR driver who will fill in for the injured Alex Bowman in the upcoming races at Darlington, Martinsville, and Bristol.

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What they’re saying

“Alex continues to experience symptoms, so we are following the guidance of the medical team and giving him the time he needs to recover. We see how hard he's working to get back behind the wheel, and we're looking forward to his return when he's medically cleared. Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports is 100 percent behind Alex.”

— Jeff Andrews, President and General Manager of Hendrick Motorsports

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Bowman's prolonged absence due to vertigo symptoms is a significant setback to his playoff hopes, as he currently sits well outside the top 16 in the Cup standings. The team is taking a cautious approach to his recovery, prioritizing his health over a rushed return to the track.