Hendrick Motorsports found itself at the center of controversy after driver Alex Bowman was disqualified from the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at the Charlotte Roval.
The disqualification came as a result of Bowman’s car, the No. 48 Chevrolet, being found underweight during a post-race inspection. This unexpected setback has significant implications for Bowman and his team. As a result, Bowman is eliminated from progressing to the Round of 8 in the playoffs, effectively ending his championship campaign for 2024.
The structure of the NASCAR playoffs is complex, with four rounds that narrow the field from 16 competitors down to the Championship 4. Each round crucially resets points. A win automatically advances drivers to the next stage, which makes compliance with technical regulations critical. Bowman’s disqualification had a domino effect, allowing two-time NASCAR Cup champion Joey Logano to claim the coveted playoff spot. Logano, who was teetering on the bubble for advancement, now has renewed opportunities to pursue another championship.
Brad Moran, the managing director of the NASCAR Cup Series, explained the situation, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports:
“Unfortunately, the 48 had an issue (and) did not meet minimum weight.
“We put the car to the side. We continued on. We … gave them the opportunity to fuel the car as well as purge the water system and add water. So we gave them every opportunity to make minimum weight. We ran them back through. Unfortunately, they were light again.”
Hendrick Motorsports has since commented on the situation on social media, hinting that they might lodge an appeal of the decision should they feel it is necessary. The team wrote:
“We are working to understand the issue and will make a decision Monday about whether to submit an appeal.”
Moran also commented on the possibility of an appeal, stating:
“If the appeal happens, it’ll be expedited, so it’ll probably happen in the next couple of days. So really can’t get into all the details of the information, but the car was light, and that’s where we ended up.”
Despite Bowman’s untimely exit from this year’s championship chase, Hendrick Motorsports remains strong. The team still boasts the successes of drivers Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Chase Elliott, who continue onward into the Round of 8.
NASCAR Cup Series: Current Standings
- Kyle Larson – 4052 points
- Christopher Bell – 4032 points
- Tyler Reddick – 4029 points
- William Byron – 4023 points
- Ryan Blaney – 4019 points
- Denny Hamlin – 4015 points
- Chase Elliott – 4014 points
- Joey Logano – 4012 points
- Alex Bowman – 2195 points
- Austin Cindric – 2174 points
- Ty Gibbs – 2150 points
- Martin Truex Jr – 2146 points
- Daniel Suárez – 2127 points
- Brad Keselowski – 2120 points
- Chase Briscoe – 2110 points
- Harrison Burton – 2065 points
- Chris Buescher – 830 points
- Bubba Wallace – 824 points
- Ross Chastain – 821 points
- Kyle Busch – 711 points
- Carson Hocevar – 604 points
- Todd Gilliland – 579 points
- Michael McDowell – 574 points
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr – 543 points
- Noah Gragson – 522 points
- Ryan Preece – 507 points
- Josh Berry – 506 points
- Austin Dillon – 483 points
- Zane Smith – 460 points
- Justin Haley – 459 points
- Corey LaJoie – 457 points
- Erik Jones – 456 points
- Daniel Hemric – 455 points
- John H. Nemechek – 395 points
- Kaz Grala – 188 points
- Cody Ware – 130 points
- Joey Hand – 43 points
- Jimmie Johnson – 40 points
- Derek Kraus – 32 points
- David Ragan – 17 points
- Kamui Kobayashi – 8 points
- Will Brown – 6 points
- Juan Pablo Montoya – 5 points
- Cam Waters – 2 points
The post Hendrick Motorsports Speaks Out after Shock Charlotte Roval Disqualification appeared first on Newsweek.
