How Alex Bowman came away with two victories at Chicago

The everlasting win was the one on the monitor as he ended a irritating 80-race winless streak by holding off Tyler Reddick to win on the two.2-mile, 12-turn course via the Grant Park space of downtown Chicago.

For the second consecutive yr, the race was lower quick by darkness as groups needed to wait out a one hour, 45-minute rain delay within the second stage.

As soon as once more, the race noticed the usage of moist climate tires and it was the choice of Bowman’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports crew to maintain him on these tires moderately than change to new slicks that helped present the victory.

Timing is every thing

The win couldn’t come at a greater time for the 31-year-old native of Tucson, Ariz., for a number of causes. The obvious being he’s now locked within the 2024 playoffs and not the one Hendrick driver and not using a win.

“It’s not been plenty of enjoyable. We gained 4 races in ’21. We gained proper off the bat in ’22. Then we had a tough summer season in ’22 after which we obtained again rolling after which I obtained damage and we began ’23 actually quick and I obtained damage once more,” Bowman mentioned after the race.

“Yeah, it’s actually troublesome. Clearly, we have now all of the instruments we have to win, and our teammates have been actually good all through that point. However we simply couldn’t put it collectively.

“Truthfully, the final month has been tremendous irritating for us. We’ve had plenty of issues outdoors of our management, value us plenty of factors, and it’s been actually irritating.”

Race winner Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Ally Chevrolet Camaro

Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images

Whereas and not using a win, Bowman had been as excessive as eighth within the sequence standings as lately as the top of Might, and in a stable place to make the playoffs based mostly on factors.

Nonetheless, with one end higher than 14th since, he had misplaced appreciable floor coming into final weekend’s race.

That state of affairs is now irrelevant, and Bowman and his crew can deal with placing themselves in one of the best place attainable for when the playoffs start.

Bowman’s extra momentary victory on Sunday was on his detractors, who at all times appear query his longevity at Hendrick as a result of he doesn’t personal championships like teammates Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson or the wins of teammate William Byron.

Throughout his greater than two-year winless drought, Bowman has additionally suffered a again harm from a wreck whereas driving a dash automotive and suffered a concussion in an accident in a Cup race.

“I believe you must win races in the event you’re at HMS. However actually, no one has made me really feel like I’m on the recent seat,” mentioned Bowman, who has a contract that goes via the 2026 season.

“There’s by no means been a single dialog with a single individual that has questioned something to do with that in any respect. It’s at all times been, ‘What do you want? How can we provide help to? How can we help the crew?’

“That’s the nice half about Hendrick Motorsports is regardless of the noise is outdoors, everyone inside is rarely going to tear one another down. They’re at all times going to be supportive.”

Is it sufficient?

For one week – or perhaps just some days – Bowman has conquered the noise.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers will now make up one-fourth of the 16-driver playoff area and Bowman has the shortest present winless streak of any driver within the sequence (zero).

However that actually gained’t final. Even when Bowman ought to win further races this season, there might be those that suppose it’s not sufficient.

He doesn’t want their validation however for at the very least someday he loved getting one of the best of them.

“As a human being, I’m only a dude attempting to do my job one of the best I probably can, and I see every thing that will get mentioned about me,” he mentioned. “So, to have the ability to overcome what I’ve gone via and to finish up again right here, it feels actually good.

“I didn’t want it. Actually, rather a lot in my life that I don’t want. I’m simply appreciative of it.”