Through the bulk of the regular season, all four of Rick Hendrick’s stars have been fixtures near the top of the standings. William Byron and Kyle Larson have both traded blows for the points lead, Chase Elliott has found flashes of form, and Alex Bowman has kept the No. 48 in the playoff conversation. Hendrick’s own team notes that all four drivers sit inside the top 10, a level of organizational consistency Jeff Gordon praised as the payoff for the cross-team cooperation. “Starting the season with a Daytona 500 win is fantastic,” Gordon said. “But it also puts the target on our back from our competitors. But then, to see where all four teams have been in points, with some setbacks, that’s pretty impressive.” With the team’s overall strength established, the spotlight narrows, and that points the lens squarely at Bowman’s year so far as the only HMS player yet to secure a playoff berth.
Bowman has been fast enough to qualify at the front, including a record-setting pole run at Bristol earlier in the season. He has posted 13 top-10s and 5 top-5s, yet the scoreboard still shows zero Cup wins through the regular slate. A handful of 3 DNFs have also cost him momentum, and his average finish of 16.1 sits a tick behind the organization’s frontrunners. Despite clinching a Richmond victory back in 2021, Bowman’s 2024 outings at the 75-mile short track were less memorable. He began the spring Toyota Owners 400 from the 17th and finished 17th as well. Later in the summer, Cook Out 400, he started 17th again and wrapped up 17th. This time around, he has high hopes for securing a win, as he reveals an honest playoff message in a 2-word admission.
Why Alex Bowman sees Richmond as the defining test in his playoff rush
Alex Bowman didn’t mince words when faced with the mounting tension heading into the Cook Out 400. “Yeah, I mean there certainly could be two winners,” he said. “I think you have to look at it like there will be at least one winner or new winner. So, yeah, certainly stressful.” With only two regular-season races left, and three winless drivers perched just above the elimination line: Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, and Chris Buescher, a new winner at Richmond would leapfrog all of them into the playoffs. Bowman’s 60-point cushion with a 93.64% chance to clinch the seat helps, but it is thin solace when playoff eligibility could slip on one bad restart or strategy call.
The air around Richmond crackles not because it is a favorite stop for many, but because every lap could tilt the postseason odds sharply. But even under pressure, Bowman is trending upward. He has reeled off consistent stage points; the lowest over the last 4 races was 30 stage points at Watkins Glen. At Dover, he broke into the top three while showcasing his long-run pace and adaptability, and changing track conditions. “But, I mean, aside from really the second half of Stage 3 last week, we’ve been doing a lot of really good things,” he said. “So, came up some points there, but other than that, we’ve been pretty strong and just got to keep digging.” It has become a testament to turning setbacks into setups.
Richmond, with its tight turns and shifting grip levels, has been unkind to HMS in general and Bowman in particular. Historically, the No. 48 averages just 19.2 average finish over 17 starts, with only one top-5 and four top-10s, and 19 laps led total, which is in stark contrast to teammate Kyle Larson’s dominant Richmond stats with 346 laps led and five top-5s. Bowman knows that context intimately, “I mean, historically, this has just been such a tough place for us as a company. So, just trying to be better here, right? Like, it’d be really nice.” So, if history is a burden, then what’s the plan to shed it?
With three playoff spots open and two races remaining, Alex Bowman knows at least one spot will be available on points. He’s 57 points behind Tyler Reddick, 26 points ahead of Chris Buescher and 60 points ahead of Ryan Preece. How he views his situation going into Richmond: pic.twitter.com/8diI1ZbPac
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 16, 2025
Bowman’s likely path forward blends caution with opportunity. He framed it, saying, “There’s a situation we could be locked in after this week, right, which would be super difficult to get to that.” Indeed, his playoff buffer gives him a chance with the right finish, and maybe some help from his teammates, he could clinch early. Locking in early not only eases pressure but reshapes strategy for the final race before the playoffs. And Bowman doesn’t suggest stepping back. “But, really, just try to go win the race, but score as many points as we can and do all the right things, just continue to perform,” he said. “So, realistically, we’ll just have to wait and see how this week shakes out, and kind of go from there.”
The blueprint is to prioritize execution, capitalize on stage points, stay in contention for a win, yet don’t squander gains with reckless gambits. It mirrors his Dover philosophy of strong runs and calculated aggression, crafting a path through Richmond‘s pitfalls and building his future trajectory.
Alex Bowman’s measured path to longevity in NASCAR
Denny Hamlin’s multi-year deal with Joe Gibbs Racing ensured that the 44-year-old veteran remains in the No. 11 Toyota through 2027. With 706 career starts, 58 wins, and a resurgence of 14 victories since turning 40, Hamlin proved he is still a contender. Speaking about his future, Hamlin admitted, “I would say probably, most likely. Who knows, but most likely.” That cautious optimism reflected both confidence and the looming reality of his age.
On the other hand, Alex Bowman, 32, is taking a different approach. Signed with HMS until 2026, Bowman has shown growing endurance and resilience with poles at Homestead and Bristol, and a strong fourth-place rebound in Mexico City. Reflecting on career length, he said, “I certainly don’t have plans to be here when I’m 45 doing this. So, yeah, I think it’s very individual and very different.” His outlook highlighted how today’s drivers tailor longevity to their own ambitions with physical limits.
Hamlin’s career extension and Bowman’s philosophy spotlight two ends of NASCAR’s generation divide: one driver pushing into his mid-40s chasing an elusive championship and the other pacing himself for a more measured exit. And like many other veterans might agree with Hamlin’s fear, not of retirement, but of slowing down.
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