Hendrick Motorsports Secures Playoff Spot for Alex Bowman Despite Early Crash

On August 24, 2025, Hendrick Motorsports' vice chairman expressed excitement for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, as the team's last member, Alex Bowman, has joined the postseason field following the regular season finale on Saturday.

Despite an early crash that left him with a 36th-place finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Bowman managed to claim his spot in the playoffs. This was in part due to Ryan Blaney's dramatic victory, as Blaney won in a four-wide finish, ensuring that no new winners would displace Bowman from the 16-driver playoff field.

Bowman has had an impressive season so far, with 6 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including a second-place finish at Richmond Raceway last weekend, where he led 41 laps and earned 41 points. The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series regular season saw 14 different winners, and Bowman and 23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick secured the final two playoff spots.

Bowman expressed his disappointment with the early crash, stating that it was tough to watch his team work so hard only to be affected by something outside of their control. However, he is excited to see what his team can do in the playoffs as they continue to fight.