Hendrick Motorsports Will Not Appeal Alex Bowman’s DQ In NASCAR Race

After overnight consideration, Hendrick Motorsports has decided not to appeal Alex Bowman’s disqualification in the October 13 Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That means the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet will officially not advance into the next round of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs after the car did not meet the minimum weight requirement in post-race technical inspection.

Team Penske’s Joey Logano, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion who was the first driver below the cutline after the race, will be in the Round of Eight that will battle it out over the next three races to become a member of NASCAR’s “Championship Four.”

Hendrick Motorsports released the following statement at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on October 14:

“Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal the disqualification of the No. 48 car following Sunday’s race at the Charlotte ROVAL. NASCAR allows a clear margin to account for the difference in pre- and post-race weight.

“After a thorough review by our team and the sanctioning body, we simply did not give ourselves enough margin to meet the post-race requirement. Although unintentional, the infraction was avoidable.

“We are extremely disappointed to lose a playoff spot under these circumstances and apologize to our fans and partners.”

NASCAR’s decision came three hours after fellow Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson won Sunday’s Bank of American Roval 400. At that time, all four NASCAR Cup Series drivers that compete for Hendrick Motorsports were in the Round of Eight.

Afterwards, team owner Rick Hendrick was asked if he would push the team to get all four drivers making it to the Championship Four, something that cannot happen now that the team has accepted NASCAR penalty.

“I don’t think you can push them,” Hendrick said. “They push themselves. You’ve got to show up and do the best you can. You’re going to have problems. You’re going to have a pit stop. You’re going to have things that happen out of your control, restarts. You can’t control all of that.

“As the field gets down to eight, you’ve got a good shot at getting someone, hopefully more than one, in the final four.

“Right now I think we’re running good enough to get — I won’t say we’re going to be lucky enough or even, you know, we get to all four in the final four. That would be an ideal thing if we could do that, but as long as we can show up and be good every week and hopefully have better luck than bad luck, then that’s our job.”

Hendrick also spoke of Bowman’s accomplishment in what appeared to be making the Round of Eight for the second time in his career, but it was nullified by the DQ.

“I think if you look back at Alex getting hurt and breaking his back and then he has a new — they were new together,” Hendrick said. “Alex is healthy. He is confident.

“You can’t drive one of these cars hurt. I mean, you can, but it takes 100 percent every lap. When Chase Elliott broke his leg and he got back in the car, it took him a while to get the rhythm going. You don’t get hurt and get back and be as strong as these guys that have been in every week.

“So I think Alex just having an opportunity to be healed up, feeling good. He and Blake Harris (crew chief) are clicking. I think that’s been the secret there. I mean, I wish he hadn’t gotten hurt. I think we would be way ahead. Now they’re in a stride, and he’s doing a heck of a job.

“Every race track he’s doing a good job.”

The three drivers at Hendrick Motorsports that advance into the Round of Eight include Sunday’s race winner Kyle Larson, William Byron and Chase Elliott.

Larson won the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship and Elliott won the title in 2020.

Hendrick Motorsports is attempting to win its first NASCAR Cup Series Championship since Larson’s title three seasons ago.