After the Bank of America Roval race ended, narrowing the playoff field to eight drivers, Hendrick Motorsports had plenty to celebrate. Kyle Larson clinched the win, and their other three drivers advanced to the next round. But there was disappointing news for Alex Bowman. His No. 48 Chevrolet failed post-race inspection for being underweight, leading to his disqualification and exit from the Cup Series. Yet, an unexpected twist followed.
This was a heartbreaking close to Bowman’s season, as he’d consistently earned the most stage points in each playoff race. Dashcam footage from Michael McDowell’s No. 34 Ford appeared to show an object detaching from Bowman’s car, sparking hope that Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) might appeal the ruling. Oddly, despite their history of success in appeals, the team chose not to. Brad Keselowski’s spotter offered some insight into why.
**Bowman’s Team Makes the Call**
Many were surprised by the decision. Rick Hendrick had previously fought back against NASCAR rulings—such as when Kyle Larson was initially barred from starting the Coca-Cola 600 after a delayed return from the Indy 500, which ultimately led to a waiver allowing him playoff eligibility. Last year, Hendrick teams faced $100,000 fines for hood modifications at Spring Phoenix pre-race inspections, resulting in crew chief suspensions and a points penalty, but HMS successfully appealed to have the points penalty overturned. Many expected HMS would attempt a similar approach for Bowman.
But this time, Freddie Kraft noted that HMS officials may have deemed the appeal unlikely to succeed. On the “Door, Bumper, Clear” podcast, Kraft explained, “A lot of people saw that video of Bowman jumping the curb and something flying off…if that was the case, you would have seen a fight from the Hendrick people.” According to series director Brad Moran, Bowman’s car was weighed multiple times, and the team was given opportunities to fuel up and add water, but it remained 17 pounds underweight.
Bowman’s exit opened the door for Joey Logano, a driver who had low playoff expectations. With just one win at Nashville, 10 top-ten finishes, and four top-fives, Logano had barely been in the playoff conversation. Initially on his way out following the Charlotte race, Bowman’s disqualification allowed Logano to advance, and he’s taken full advantage.
Logano followed up with a thrilling win in Las Vegas, securing his place in the Championship 4. While his reversal of fortune raised eyebrows, Keselowski’s spotter, T.J. Majors, defended Logano’s success. Comparing him to Chase Elliott, Majors noted, “If this was Chase Elliott, everyone would be like, ‘Oh, that’s great. These guys are awesome. They did the right thing.’ I mean, what’s the difference?”
Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, praised Logano’s team, saying, “The minute they got in [to the Round of 8] Sunday night post-Charlotte, I wrote them into the final four first. Joey Logano is going to find a way. It’s that simple. It’s a team sport, so I don’t want to single Joey out. I think it’s a testament to how they do business.”
Logano has capitalized on Bowman’s misfortune, and as the playoffs reach their final stages, Team Penske may have more surprises in store.
