Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports Jeff Gordon has revealed the frustration and embarrassment relating to Alex Bowman’s disqualification from the Charlotte ROVAL race from inside the workforce.
The disqualification got here shortly after Bowman, driving the No. 48 automotive, achieved what initially seemed to be a triumphant day on the Bank of America ROVAL 400, a part of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Sequence Playoffs. The race initially noticed Bowman declare a high 20 end and victory within the second stage. Nonetheless, post-race inspections by NASCAR revealed that Bowman’s automotive was too gentle, leading to his disqualification and demotion to thirty eighth place. This sudden final result eliminated him from the semi-final playoff spherical, permitting Joey Logano to safe the ultimate spot as an alternative.
The day, which had seen notable success with Kyle Larson’s win for the workforce, rapidly soured amid the information of the disqualification. Hendrick Motorsports confirmed on Monday that they’d not be interesting the disqualification.
Gordon has since commented on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, as quoted by Sports Illustrated:
James Gilbert/Getty Pictures
“After we checked out all of the elements, and also you noticed early on within the race the No. 48 launched up into the air and acquired into the wall.
“You simply take a look at this race generally and the quantity of contact – we needed to essentially examine the automotive wholly, to see if there was harm or was there one thing that acquired dislodged from the automotive.
“NASCAR was nice all through the entire course of, you may’t actually examine a lot of it on the racetrack, so we weren’t actually positive, however they took it to the [NASCAR R&D] Heart [on Monday] and checked out it totally and examined it and did not discover something.”
He added:
“It is simply a kind of issues the place NASCAR has minimal pre-race and post-race weights and our groups, as a way to make the best-performing racecars each weekend for our drivers, we all know that we have to remain as near these minimums as attainable, and on this case, the No. 48 automotive, they simply reduce it too shut and missed it, in order that’s on us.
“Fairly embarrassed by it, and fairly disappointing after what was wanting like a historic day, and one of the vital thrilling days we have had.”
Lastly, Gordon concluded:
“There is a multitude of things that make it robust to swallow, however one of many keys is the efficiency of the No. 48 workforce, what Alex [Bowman] has achieved, the workforce has had lots of stress on them, they have been constructing that workforce up, constructing extra depth, getting comfy with each other, Alex being wholesome this 12 months.
“They go win at Chicago and get themselves within the Playoffs and carried out at a excessive degree all through the playoffs. So that you hate to take the momentum and alternative away. I do know they’re disenchanted as nicely.”
“You’ll be able to go acquire lots of factors and get excessive up, and preserve the momentum going and win races, and takethat into subsequent season, and hopefully get subsequent 12 months began proper.”
