Alex Bowman will not race in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as he continues to recover from a vertigo diagnosis. NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion Justin Allgaier will drive the No. 48 in his place.
Despite HMS listing Bowman as the driver of the No. 48 on the race’s preliminary entry list on Monday afternoon, most expected the team to announce a replacement later this week, as Bowman continues his recovery from vertigo.
Late last night, in a now-deleted paint scheme preview, the team listed Allagier as the driver of the No. 48. This was a move some fans and industry members predicted following a rough weekend at Phoenix Raceway for Bowman’s initial replacement, Anthony Alfredo.
With Allgaier officially in the car, this marks the third season in Bowman’s nine full-time seasons at HMS in which the Arizona native has missed more than one race.
In 2022, after a concussion, Bowman missed five races, and in 2023, following a dirt car crash, he missed three races.
In a statement from the team, Hendrick Motorsports President and General Manager Jeff Andrews said:
“Alex continues to work closely with doctors toward being medically cleared, but he’s still experiencing some lingering symptoms. He’s put a lot into the recovery process, and we will continue to support him every step of the way. Our priority remains making sure Alex is fully ready before returning to the race car.”
This race will mark Allgaier’s second NASCAR Cup Series race of 2026, after making his fourth career start in the Daytona 500 with JR Motorsports in February.
The former NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has made two other starts for HMS in his career, with the most recent coming in 2024 at the Coca-Cola 600.
In his short NASCAR Cup Series career, Allgaier has two starts at LVMS, with a 31.0 average finish. Last season, the 39-year-old won the spring NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the track for JR Motorsports.
Let us know your thoughts on this! Join the discussion on Discord or X, and remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more updates.
