Don’t look now, but Alex Bowman has already had the best three-race start to his NASCAR Cup Series career, ever. He’s ready to make it four at Phoenix. He hasn’t won a race yet, but he is putting his mark all over this early season. It isn’t just a great start for Bowman, but for Hendrick Motorsports as well.
Three races into the year, and Alex Bowman has three straight finishes in the top 10. He has finished no worse than P8 this year. He’s doing that No. 48 Chevy proud! Those three finishes are the first time a Hendrick driver has achieved that feat since 2015 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. did it.
With a new crew chief in Blake Harris, Bowman is looking strong this year. He won the pole at Daytona, has two top-five finishes, and he has led at least one lap in each race. At Las Vegas, he was part of the 1-2-3 finish for Hendrick with his teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson.
Being an Arizona native, Phoenix is important. He even has a special paint scheme for it. But it’s a track that gives Bowman trouble.
“We have started off this season really strong and Phoenix is a place I have circled on my calendar,” Bowman said, via Hendrick Motorsports. “I ran good there once and haven’t had that kind of performance since then, so I am always eager to get back there and try to find success with it being my home track.”
Bowman is quick to thank his crew chief, too.
Alex Bowman Wants to Turn Phoenix Luck Around
When Alex Bowman says he has only ran good at Phoenix once, he’s serious. In 15 starts, his best finish is a single P6 in his first race at the track with Hendrick. He also won the pole that day. Since then, he hasn’t finished better than P13. That probably explains why he is 20-1 to win the race.
His average finish is 23.8 at Phoenix. Blake Harris might change that, though.
“Blake and I are doing all we can to get ready for the race,” Bowman continued. “I know the team is putting in the work to get our No. 48 Ally Chevy ready to hit the track. I am just ready to hit the track and get my redemption.”
If there was a season where Alex Bowman was going to turn his luck around, it’s probably this one. With a hot start to the year, will the one-mile track in his home state continue to give him issues?
Crew chief Harris is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen.
