Alex Bowman has been sidelined from this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports announced on Thursday. In his place, Anthony Alfredo will drive the No. 48 Chevrolet. Bowman was diagnosed with vertigo after first experiencing symptoms during Sunday’s race at Circuit of the Americas.
This past Sunday, Bowman pulled into the garage on Lap 71 after informing his team he didn’t feel well enough to continue. Myatt Snider, an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series veteran who was working as a pit spotter for FOX, hopped into the car on a moment’s notice to finish out the race.
“Alex has worked very hard over the last several days,” said Hendrick Motorsports President Jeff Andrews. “We’re encouraged by the progress he’s making, but we have to prioritize his health above all else. It’s obviously frustrating for him because he’s a competitor and wants to be in the race car, especially at his home track. We’ll continue to support Alex and look forward to his return as soon as he’s medically cleared.”
Anthony Alfredo Steps Up
Anthony Alfredo brings a wealth of NASCAR experience to the table as he prepares to fill in for Bowman. The 26-year-old raced in the Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in 2021. Since 2022 he’s been in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, including in his current seat with Viking Motorsports. Alfredo also does simulator testing for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet.
In the 2026 Daytona 500 Alfredo attempted the race with Beard Motorsports and initially raced his way in through the weekend’s second Duel race. Their No. 62 Chevrolet was then disqualified in post-race inspection, giving the slot to BJ McLeod instead.
Background
With this latest ailment, Alex Bowman will have missed races in three of his nine full-time seasons at Hendrick Motorsports. In 2022 he missed five races due to a concussion sustained at Texas Motor Speedway. Then in 2023 he sat out three races after injuring his back in a sprint car race that April.
Ironically, head ailments played a part in Bowman’s beginnings with Hendrick Motorsports. Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed a large portion of the 2016 season after his own concussion diagnosis, leaving Bowman to split the No. 88 ride with Jeff Gordon. In 2018 after Earnhardt Jr. retired, Bowman stepped into a full-time seat at Hendrick.
