Alex Bowman will miss the next three NASCAR Cup Series races due to symptoms of vertigo. Hendrick Motorsports stated Tuesday.
CONCORD, N.C. -- Alex Bowman will miss the next three NASCAR Cup Series races due to symptoms of vertigo. Hendrick Motorsports stated Tuesday.
Justin Allgaier will pilot Bowman's No. 48 Chevrolet in the March 22 race at Darlington Raceway, the March 29 race at Martinsville Speedway and the April 12 race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Bowman has missed the last two races -- at Las Vegas and Phoenix -- due to symptoms first experienced in the race at Circuit of the Americas. Hendrick is still working to get him back in the car as soon as possible.
“Alex continues to experience symptoms, so we are following the guidance of the medical team and giving him the time he needs to recover,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “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% behind Alex.”
In Bowman’s absence, the No. 48 car has had some struggles.
At Las Vegas, Allgaier filled in for the first time and finished 25th, two laps down. Allgaier ran in last-place for much of the race after multiple unplanned trips to pit road, including one for a speeding penalty. Then, he started picking up the pace in the final stage to grab a top-25 finish.
A week before, Anthony Alfredo was running near the top-10 after a slow start at Phoenix -- until a late-race crash took him out.
Hendrick Motorsports affirmed their commitment to Allgaier while Bowman is out.
“Justin is a true professional and someone we have tremendous confidence in,” Andrews said. “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."
Hendrick Motorsports requested a medical waiver to allow Bowman to remain eligible for the Cup championship. It's unclear how long he will be out.
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