Alex Bowman cleared to race at Bristol after vertigo

The Hendrick Motorsports driver missed 4 races due to the medical issue.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 6:06pm

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A vibrant, cubist-style painting depicting a NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the cars and track broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color, conveying the speed and intensity of the competition.Bowman's return to the track at Bristol comes at a critical juncture in the NASCAR season.Bristol Today

NASCAR driver Alex Bowman has been cleared to return to competition at this weekend's race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. Bowman, who drives for Hendrick Motorsports, had missed the previous 4 races after being sidelined by a bout of vertigo.

Why it matters

Bowman is a rising star in NASCAR and a key part of the Hendrick Motorsports stable. His return is important for both his own championship aspirations as well as the team's efforts to compete for the title this season.

The details

Bowman first experienced symptoms of vertigo following the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in late March. After being evaluated by doctors, he was held out of the next 4 races to allow time for the condition to improve. Hendrick Motorsports announced on Monday that Bowman has now been cleared by his physicians to return to racing this weekend at Bristol.

  • Bowman first experienced vertigo symptoms after the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 26.
  • He missed the following 4 races while recovering.
  • Bowman has now been cleared to return to competition at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 13.

The players

Alex Bowman

A 28-year-old NASCAR driver who competes full-time in the Cup Series for Hendrick Motorsports.

Hendrick Motorsports

One of the top teams in NASCAR, fielding cars for several of the sport's top drivers including Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott.

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What they’re saying

“I'm excited to get back in the car this weekend at Bristol. The team has done a great job keeping the #48 Chevrolet competitive in my absence, and I'm looking forward to getting back on track and building on our early-season success.”

— Alex Bowman, NASCAR Driver

What’s next

Bowman will look to build momentum with a strong performance at Bristol as he returns from his vertigo-related absence. The next key race on the schedule is the playoff cutoff race at Daytona in late August, where Bowman will aim to solidify his spot in the postseason.

The takeaway

Bowman's return is a boost for Hendrick Motorsports as they seek to contend for the NASCAR Cup Series championship. The team has kept the #48 car competitive in his absence, and Bowman will look to pick up where he left off prior to the medical issue that sidelined him.