Dover Motor Speedway: Bowman Secures Third in Competitive Finish
DOVER, DE — Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports secured a strong third-place finish at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday, trailing only Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe. Despite not clinching the victory, Bowman demonstrated considerable resilience during the race, particularly during the final overtime restart.
Bowman opted for a bottom lane start and successfully maneuvered past his teammate, Kyle Larson, to claim the podium spot. "From where I was at (in the second row), I needed them to get together," he stated. "Honestly, I was pretty surprised to clear [Larson] there. Bottom lane restarts here are tough, but our car wraps the bottom really well."
The driver highlighted his strategy, noting, "You just need one [driver] to mess up to sneak by, but that didn’t happen." His performance at Dover continues to reflect consistency; he has finished eighth or better in seven of his last eight races at the track, including a victory in 2021.
Bowman credited his career resurgence at Dover to insights gleaned from former teammate Jimmie Johnson. "I was pretty terrible here in ’18, and we came back in ’19, had a conversation with Jimmie, and we’ve been top five pretty much every race since then," he explained.
Sunday’s result extends Bowman’s playoff cushion to 63 points above the cutline, placing him ninth in the overall championship standings. "It’s big, for sure," he remarked. "Blake’s (Harris, crew chief) going to have a fast hot rod for me, and a big points buffer is good. It’s definitely headed back in the right direction."
Bowman’s recent performance reflects a turning point, as he registered his third top-10 finish in the past four races, showcasing the potential for further success as the season progresses. "This is my favorite racetrack. Hendrick cars are unbelievable here," he concluded, emphasizing the need to maintain momentum moving forward.
