CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Alex Bowman opened NASCAR’s playoffs on defence — not of his fashion of driving, however of his standing within the seat of the No. 48 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports.
The primary playoff race was simply days away and Bowman spent a whole afternoon insisting rumours he’d be out of the automobile subsequent season have been unfaithful.
“That hearsay has definitely been annoying,” Bowman stated. “All I can inform you is like what my bosses have advised me, and that’s that there aren’t any plans to vary something. So far as I do know, I’m driving the No. 48 subsequent yr. Simply centered on attempting to be robust the subsequent 10 weeks.”
Regardless of the assurances from Hendrick Motorsports and a contract that runs by means of subsequent season, Bowman nonetheless had doubters. Then he completed fifth within the playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway, moved into the highest 10 in factors, and obtained a public endorsement from boss Rick Hendrick.
“The group is actually pleased, the sponsor is actually pleased, so we’re good to go,” stated Hendrick, who answered “sure” when requested if Bowman would “unequivocally” be within the HMS lineup subsequent yr.
That sentiment was backed by Andrea Brimmer, chief advertising officer of Bowman sponsor Ally, who reposted Hendrick’s quote on social media “To all of the doubters.” She added an emoji that intimates “be quiet.”
Bowman was then 18th at Watkins Glen and ninth Saturday night time at Bristol Motor Speedway, the place he began on the pole and superior into the second spherical of the playoffs. His 120 factors scored within the three races was probably the most among the many 16 drivers, and in contrast to former Cup champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr., Bowman averted playoff elimination.
The reseeding course of has him ranked eleventh out of 12 drivers and under the cutline as NASCAR heads to Kansas Speedway for Sunday’s second-round opening race.
“We did what we would have liked the entire first spherical of the playoffs, but additionally we wish to be higher and proceed that by means of the subsequent spherical,” stated Bowman, who doesn’t assume the hypothesis about his future will cease.
“They’ll maintain speaking. I’m not apprehensive about it,” he stated.
The discuss appears pointless as Bowman has turned his season round and is one among a handful of shock drivers to advance into the second spherical. Though Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton weren’t thought of title contenders and their first-round elimination was not stunning, the departure of Keselowski and Truex opened up slots to in any other case ignored drivers.
The sphere is led into Kansas by Kyle Larson, who obliterated the competitors at Bristol by main all however 38 of the five hundred laps Saturday night time and profitable by greater than 7 seconds. Then there’s Christopher Bell, a last 4 participant the final two seasons, common season champion Tyler Reddick, William Byron, defending Cup champion Ryan Blaney and the same old forged of characters.
The surprises are Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric and Daniel Suarez — any of whom may have been picked as first spherical dropouts primarily based on their season-long efficiency.
Stewart-Haas Racing has hardly been aggressive this season and is closing three of its 4 groups in November, but Briscoe has surged in his last months within the No. 14 Ford. He snatched the ultimate spot within the playoff discipline by profitable the common season finale at Darlington, then rallied from crashing at Atlanta with finishes of sixth and eighth within the subsequent two races.
He dropped to final within the discipline with the factors reset earlier than Kansas, however he’s nonetheless a contender.
“I don’t assume anyone believes this, however I actually assume we are able to battle for the championship,” Briscoe stated. “And I believe these final two weeks present that. We’re hitting our stride on the proper time, and with this format, for those who can simply be good for 10 weeks, then you definitely could be a champion.
“I really feel like we’re as robust as any group proper now.”
Cindric made it by means of with consistency, scoring back-to-back Tenth-place finishes at Atlanta and Watkins Glen, after which was thirteenth at Bristol — sufficient to advance the Staff Penske driver.
“I don’t know what the common end is for the spherical, however two top-10s and a thirteenth, that’s what we have to do as a group,” Cindric stated, “and it’s one thing we had challenges placing collectively, however the potential is there. Every part resets, so no cause why we are able to’t replicate that efficiency.”
Suarez, regardless of almost profitable the opener at Atlanta, discovered himself in hassle at Bristol with a Trackhouse Racing entry that lacked the velocity wanted to be aggressive. He struggled your entire race and, with a Thirty first-place end, barely made it into the second spherical.
However as quickly because the race was over, Suarez was already wanting towards the second spherical, which begins at Kansas, then goes to Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, and the hybrid highway course at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“I believe we’re going to be fairly good. I’m actually excited for Kansas. I believe we will be aggressive there,” Suarez stated. “A superspeedway, as everyone knows, something can occur. And a highway course in there, all the time places a smile on my face.”