Alex Bowman cleared to race after crash, but Anthony Alfredo will be on standby

On Lap 67 of the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan International Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman was racing deep in the pack when he found himself in a bad situation. After contact from Cole Custer, he ended up slamming the outside wall in a head-on impact that lifted the rear tires off completely the ground. Bowman’s No. 48 Chevrolet hit the wall at roughly 150mph, immediately ending his race.

Bowman later described it as perhaps the biggest hit of his career. Unfortunately, the 32-year-old has a history of injuries. He suffered a concussion following a crash at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022, missing five races as a result. In 2023, he suffered a back injury in a sprint car crash that forced him to miss three Cup races.

Thankfully, Bowman has been medically cleared to race this weekend in Mexico City despite some soreness. The road course event is a big opportunity for Bowman as his most recent win in the Cup Series came at the Chicago Street Course last summer.

As a precaution, Hendrick will have Anthony Alfredo on standby for Bowman at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Alfredo, who competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, also works as a simulator driver for HMS. He has 42 starts in the Cup Series, including one start earlier this year at Talladega Superspeedway.

Bowman currently sits 13th in the championship standings after the first 15 races this year and is hoping for some positive momentum. He has finished 27th or worse in seven of the last nine races, including five finishes of 35th or worse in a dismal run for the No. 48 team.