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Retired NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick spoke about Alex Bowman's mental toughness that's been on display this season. The 60-time Cup Series race winner has been impressed with how the driver of the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is still running well despite the lows he's experienced this season.
On the latest episode of Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour podcast, the 2014 Cup Series champion and co-hosts Kaitlyn Vincie and Mamba Smith weighed in on HMS' decision not to appeal Bowman's disqualification from two weeks ago at the Charlotte Roval, a penalty that eliminated the driver from the playoffs.
Between the premature playoff exit to rumors that he may not be back with HMS in 2025, the Arizona native has endured a lot this season, and Harvick has taken notice.
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"When you think about it from Alex Bowman's standpoint, what a year," Harvick said (43:30). "With talking about losing his job, getting thrown out of the playoffs after you make the playoffs, all the things he's had to mentally go through, the guy's obviously pretty mentally tough, because he went to Vegas this week and ran well and showed up to perform and did what he was supposed to do from his standpoint. What a tough position to be in from a driver's standpoint, to have to deal with everything that he's dealt with this year and still go out on the racetrack and perform."
Bowman finished fifth in Sunday's Cup Series race at Las Vegas, registering his eighth top-five finish of the season. He won the Chicago Street Race in July, snapping an 80-race winless streak dating back to Las Vegas in early 2022. The 31-year-old sits ninth in the points standings with three races remaining in 2024.
Alex Bowman threw his phone in his pool after learning about Charlotte Roval disqualification
Hearing the news that he wouldn't advance into the next round of the playoffs due to a disqualification made Alex Bowman throw his phone in his swimming pool at his house. This caused the phone to dial 9-1-1 and report that the driver had been in a car crash.
In an interview conducted by NASCAR on FOX reporter Bob Pockrass ahead of Sunday's race at Las Vegas, Bowman said he received a call from crew chief Blake Harris about the disqualification. When Bowman read Pockrass' tweet saying he was disqualified, that's when things proceeded to go downhill.
"I proceeded to throw my phone into the pool. My phone proceeded to call 9-1-1 and tell them I was in a car crash, so my Sunday night wasn't very good if I'm being honest with you Bob," Alex Bowman said.
Bowman's disqualification pushed Joey Logano, who was originally eliminated prior to the penalty, above the cut-line. Logano proceeded to wheel his #22 Team Penske Ford to victory at Las Vegas to clinch a spot in the upcoming Championship 4 race at Phoenix.
