Alex Bowman will return to racing for the final NASCAR Cup race of the season at Phoenix Raceway Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday.
In a release the team said the driver has been medically cleared to compete Thursday following a full evaluation by Dr. Michael “Micky” Collins, clinical director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program.
“We’re thrilled Alex is 100% and will have the opportunity to race at his home track,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “Throughout this process, he’s been incredibly diligent about following the advice of his doctors and prioritizing his health. All of us look forward to welcoming Alex back and seeing him finish 2022 with his No. 48 teammates.”
Bowman, 29, suffered a concussion Sept. 25 at Texas Motor Speedway and has sat out the races since then with driver Noah Gragson driving in a substitute role. The team said that even though he was cleared prior to this weekend’s penultimate event at Martinsville Speedway, they will leave Gragson in the car for this weekend.
“Due to the timing (of the medical clearance), everyone agreed it was best to stick with our plan for Martinsville and allow the team to fully prepare for Alex’s return next weekend,” Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports said. “On behalf of everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, we’re grateful to Noah for stepping in and doing a terrific job under difficult circumstances. He’s a big talent and has been a complete professional.”
Bowman is the second Cup driver this season to miss a race due to concussion like symptoms. He was one of several drivers who suffered a blown tire during the Cup series race at Texas. He lost a tire on lap 97, hit the wall in Turn 4 but was able to continue. He finished the race in 29th five laps down.
Prior to the start of the Playoffs, driver Kurt Busch crashed during qualifying at Pocono Raceway in July. He also suffered concussion like symptoms and has yet to return to competition. Busch was eligible for the Playoffs after winning at Kansas Speedway in May. NASCAR gave him a wavier for the Playoffs, but Busch surrendered his eligibility prior to the start of the Playoffs.
NASCAR later said they would grant if Bowman a waiver for the Playoffs. But missing Talladega and the ROVAL, the final race of the second round, he was eliminated.
Now, Bowman an Arizona native will be returning to his home track for the season’s final race.
“We’re thrilled Alex is 100% and will have the opportunity to race at his home track,” said Andrews. “Throughout this process, he’s been incredibly diligent about following the advice of his doctors and prioritizing his health. All of us look forward to welcoming Alex back and seeing him finish 2022 with his No. 48 teammates.”
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.