Alex Bowman's vertigo in March this year left Hendrick Motorsports vulnerable and scrambling for a replacement.

While Rick Hendrick's team found several, the progress of the #48 car was hampered as their main driver was away. Even though he returned ahead of the race at Bristol last weekend, there are still visible concerns about the driver moving forward.

"I feel pretty good," Bowman told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, sharing an update about his health. "I think the things that I'm not 100% on are just things that aren't from not being okay. It's from not being able to train like normal and be in a race car like normal for a month, right? So, kind of there were a couple weeks there that training got turned down pretty much."

Bowman explained that being out of the car set him back, as other drivers kept improving each week while he missed four or five races, leaving him behind in both experience and rhythm.

Despite that, he said he feels as good as he can right now, describing himself as “a little bit like Humpty Dumpty,” but added that he is patched up and ready to get back to full speed.

During the COTA Cup race, Bowman exited mid-race due to severe nausea and dizziness and was diagnosed with vertigo affecting balance.

He missed five races, with Josh Berry stepping in as the primary substitute for the No. 48 car, and returned at Bristol, but a Lap 160 crash cut his race short. Now, as he works to regain momentum, Kevin Harvick warns he must act quickly to avoid losing his HMS seat.

Kevin Harvick Issues Warning to Rick Hendrick’s Driver

Bowman’s performance has lagged behind his championship-winning teammates. At a time when Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott won championships, and William Byron qualified for the Final Four repeatedly, Bowman has not matched that level. He is also in the final year of his Hendrick Motorsports contract.

“It’s good to see him back in the car, but now we’re back to analyzing the 48’s performance, and it wasn’t good. Throughout the weekend, they didn’t really have any speed and wound up in an accident," Harvick said about Bowman recently. "If you’re going to keep your job, you’re going to have to win.”

Alex Bowman's last win came at the Chicago Street Course on July 7, 2024, and he was winless in 2025. Coming into 2026, he is currently in 36th place in the Drivers' Standings with 24 points. As things stand, Bowman needs to win races to save his season, as well as his future.

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Written by

Sabyasachi Biswas

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav