The NASCAR world is holding its breath as Alex Bowman’s season teeters on the edge of collapse. Just three weeks into the Cup Series, Bowman finds himself in a staggering 36th place, barely ahead of only two other drivers. But here’s where it gets even more concerning: his struggles hit a breaking point at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), where he was forced to step out of his car mid-race due to health issues, leaving fans and analysts alike questioning what’s really going on. And this is the part most people miss—it’s not just about one bad race; it’s about a pattern that’s starting to look like a freefall.
Kevin Harvick, never one to mince words, is sounding the alarm loud and clear. On his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick didn’t hold back, though he treaded carefully around Bowman’s health. ‘It just feels like the No. 48 team is unraveling right in front of us,’ he said. ‘They haven’t had a single good week in terms of performance.’ Bold words from a veteran driver, but are they justified?
Let’s rewind for a moment. Bowman’s season didn’t start this way. He kicked things off in the NASCAR Duels at Daytona with a solid fourth-place start and a 10th-place finish. But since then? It’s been a downward spiral. A 40th-place finish at Daytona, 23rd at Atlanta, and now 36th at COTA—a track where he’d never finished outside the top 10 in his first five years. And this is the part most people miss: for a driver who’s shown championship potential, consistency is everything. When you’re not consistently delivering, especially on your strongest tracks, it’s a red flag.
At COTA, Bowman wasn’t just off his game—he was outclassed. Even before his health forced him out of the car, his team was hit with a penalty for an uncontrolled tire on pit road. It was a weekend where nothing seemed to click. Harvick pointed out, ‘COTA was one of those places where Alex Bowman should have been a contender. Instead, it felt like they were just going through the motions.’
Here’s the controversial take: Is Bowman’s struggle a temporary slump, or is there something deeper at play? Harvick thinks the No. 48 team needs to turn things around—fast. ‘They’ve got to figure this out quickly, or it’s going to unravel completely,’ he warned. But what do you think? Is this just a rough patch, or is there more to the story? Let’s hear it in the comments—agree or disagree, the discussion is wide open.
