“We’re always evaluating”: Hendrick Motorsports may change driver’s extracurricular activities in the future

Hendrick Motorsports has suffered wretched luck 10 races into the 2023 NASCAR season. Be it on-track penalties or drivers getting injured, the team can't catch a break.

Two Hendrick Motorsports drivers, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, have injured themselves participating in extracurricular activities this year. HMS has stated that the team follows the process whenever a driver wishes to participate in activities off the NASCAR track.

Jeff Andrews, the president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports, stated that the team will be having a conversation with its drivers concerning this process.

"We’re always evaluating, we’re always knowledgeable in our conversations with drivers about what they’re doing and where they’re racing outside the Cup Series.

"Obviously, it’s a topic of conversation for us. We’ve had discussions with our guys about it since Alex’s accident. We’ll continue to have those talks, and as a group, we will make the best decision."

Chase Elliott was the first driver to be sidelined this season in early March after breaking his leg in a snowboarding accident. Since Elliott's recovery, Hendrick Motorsports has now sidelined Alex Bowman, who suffered a fractured vertebra in a sprint race crash on April 25.

Elliott believes that no changes will be made to the extracurricular schedule. The #9 driver suggested that the topic wouldn't have been in the conversation if not for two accidents in a row.

"If one [injury] happened this year and one happened last year, would we be having the same conversation? Probably not."

After suffering two major blows early in the season, HMS is set to review its policies regarding drivers' extracurricular activities.

---

Hendrick Motorsports crew chief reckons Alex Bowman's substitute will fare well in the #48 car

Josh Berry in the NASCAR Cup Series Würth 400 practice session

NASCAR Xfinity driver Josh Berry is back in one of Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets after his brief stint in the #9 car. Berry was substituted for the injured Chase Elliott, making five starts early this season.

This time, Berry will pilot the #48 car of Alex Bowman. Blake Harris, the crew chief for the #48 car, is optimistic that the Xfinity driver will deliver solid results.

"With Josh this weekend, we are fortunate enough to have had him in the No. 9 car recently, so we kind of know what driver comfort items we needed, so we were able to get him in here and get him fit.

"We also got a simulator session in with him, so as far as preparation for this weekend goes, I feel like we are in as good of shape as we can be considering the time crunch we are in to get the car to Dover."

In his five-race stint with the #9 crew, Berry scored two top-10 finishes with the best finishing position of runner-up at Richmond Raceway.