NASCAR driver Alex Bowman, out four races due to vertigo, to return at Bristol

Bowman returns ranked 36th in the points standings, 144 points behind the final spot in NASCAR's Cup Series playoffs. James Gilbert / Getty Images Share full articleHendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman is returning after a four-race absence and will be back behind the wheel of the No. 48 car for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Bowman missed a month recovering from vertigo, and Hendrick previously said that the 32-year-old driver would be out through Bristol, with no timetable on when he may return. Bowman, though, was medically cleared to come back earlier than expected after he completed laps in a street car at a road course in suburban Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday, then participated Wednesday in pit stop practice and simulator testing followed by a medical evaluation. “We’re proud of Alex and the way he’s handled this situation,” Hendrick Motorsports president Jeff Andrews said in a statement. “He’s put a lot of work into his recovery and followed the medical team’s plan every step of the way. From the outset, our goal was to prioritize his health and have him return when he was fully recovered and medically cleared. We’re looking forward to seeing Alex back in his race car this weekend.” Bowman began experiencing symptoms of vertigo — a sensation of spinning or movement that can cause severe dizziness — during the March 1 race at the Circuit of the Americas road course in Austin, Texas. He started the race, but at around the two-thirds mark of the 324-mile event, Bowman radioed his team that he was not feeling well. The team told him not to push it if he couldn’t go the full distance. A few laps later, he said he could not continue and headed to the garage, where the team then put in a backup driver to complete the race. Bowman missed four full races while recovering. Anthony Alfredo (Phoenix) and Justin Allgaier (Las Vegas, Darlington and Martinsville) filled in for him during his absence. Allgaier was set to again drive at Bristol. Bowman returns ranked 36th, last, among full-time drivers in the standings, with 19 regular-season races remaining before NASCAR’s Chase playoff begins. To qualify for the Chase, a driver must rank 16th or better in the points standings at the conclusion of the 26-race regular season. Bowman has made NASCAR’s playoffs in seven of the past eight seasons, only missing in 2023 when he injured his back and missed three regular-season races. The new format also does not grant individual race winners a spot in the playoffs, meaning Bowman will have to earn his way up the points standings. Bowman trails 16th-ranked Daniel Suárez by 144 points. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Jordan Bianchi is a motorsports reporter for The Athletic. He is a veteran sports reporter, having covered the NBA, NFL, Major League Baseball, college basketball, college football, NASCAR, IndyCar and sports business for several outlets. Follow Jordan on Twitter @jordan_bianchi