NASCAR's Alex Bowman to miss at least next three races, imperiling playoff hopes

Hendrick Motorsports driver will be sidelined due to ongoing vertigo symptoms

Mar. 17, 2026 at 11:37pm

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NASCAR driver Alex Bowman will miss at least the next three Cup Series races as he continues to recover from vertigo symptoms that first appeared during a race in early March. Hendrick Motorsports has tapped Justin Allgaier to fill in for Bowman, who has made the playoffs in eight of the past nine seasons but is now in jeopardy of missing the postseason due to the extended absence.

Why it matters

Bowman's extended absence is a significant blow to his playoff hopes, as he currently sits 94 points behind the provisional cutoff to advance to the postseason under NASCAR's new format. The 32-year-old driver has been a consistent playoff participant, making it in eight of the past nine seasons, and his inability to compete in the coming races could effectively end his chances of qualifying this year.

The details

Bowman first experienced vertigo symptoms during the March 1 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, prompting him to exit the race early. He then missed the next two races, and will now be out of the No. 48 car at least through the April 12 race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports has again tapped Justin Allgaier, a full-time driver in NASCAR's second-tier Xfinity Series, to fill in for Bowman in the upcoming races at Darlington, Martinsville, and Bristol.

  • Bowman first experienced vertigo symptoms during the March 1 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
  • Bowman missed the next two races after the COTA incident.
  • Bowman will be out of the No. 48 car at least through the April 12 race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The players

Alex Bowman

A 32-year-old NASCAR Cup Series driver who has made the playoffs in eight of the past nine seasons, all driving for Hendrick Motorsports.

Justin Allgaier

A 39-year-old driver who will fill in for Bowman in the upcoming races, as he has become the go-to replacement driver for Hendrick Motorsports when needed.

Jeff Andrews

The president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports, the team that fields Bowman's No. 48 car.

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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, Hendrick Motorsports (nytimes.com)

“Justin is a true professional and someone we have tremendous confidence in. He's had success at the upcoming tracks, and we appreciate him stepping in to help the No. 48 team. We're also grateful to our partners at JR Motorsports for understanding the situation and making Justin available.”

— Jeff Andrews, President and General Manager, Hendrick Motorsports (nytimes.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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