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Fans React: Alex Bowman Returns at the Coca-Cola 600

Joshua Lipowski

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Royal T Grafix

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Alex Bowman is returning to the Cup Series this weekend after four weeks off due to a fractured vertebrae.

What’s Happening?

Hendrick Motorsports announced on Wednesday that Alex Bowman will return to the 48 car this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. According to Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman was approved to return after a 170 lap NASCAR-approved test at North Wilkesboro. Bowman suffered a fractured vertebra during a sprint car race in Iowa on April 24th, and he has missed the last four Cup Series events.

  • Bowman received a playoff waiver from NASCAR, meaning that he is eligible to make the postseason despite missing three points paying races. Bowman currently sits in 17th in the standings, five points below the cut-line. He was the series points leader before he and Hendrick teammate William Byron were penalized following the Richmond race in March.
  • This is not the first time Bowman has had injuries affect his Cup Series career. Last fall, he suffered a concussion at Texas Motor Speedway during the Round of 12 causing him to miss six races, and he was eliminated after the round of 12.
  • Fans are excited to see Bowman back at the track. Especially after the tough way he was taken out of competition for a few weeks.

The Main Characters

Alex Bowman is excited to be back.

In the Stands

There’s only 3.5 days left until Sunday.

Stephanie Schwartz is excited.

A fair question. It is common for drivers who are coming back from injury to be replaced partway through the race.

Bowman Returns, I can see it now.

Yes, 600 miles. Will be quite a feat if he completes it.

Nothing like a sarcastic minion.

Hendrick will win every race from now on will they?

Comment
by u/HurricanesnHendrick from discussion Alex Bowman to return at Charlotte
in NASCAR

One can only wonder.

Comment
by u/NorthCoastBias from discussion Alex Bowman to return at Charlotte
in NASCAR

Indeed he does if he so chooses to do so.

Comment
by u/RJNieder from discussion Alex Bowman to return at Charlotte
in NASCAR

Coming back in a 600 mile race is indeed a strange idea.

Comment
by u/johnnyracer24 from discussion Alex Bowman to return at Charlotte
in NASCAR

Not a terrible idea.

On Your Screen

For the first time in a long time, Hendrick Motorsports is at full-strength.

Back and photobombing more than ever.

Lot’s of uncertainty surrounded Bowman this weekend, but finally he is back!

From the Pressbox

More from Bob Pockrass on the rules regarding medical testing.

More input from Seth Eggert on the history of NASCAR Playoff waivers.

Alex Bowman is finally back this weekend at Charlotte, and people are excited about it. Will he regain the great form he had prior to the injury?

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HAMPTON, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 21: Kyle Busch, driver of the #7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 at Echo Park Speedway on February 21, 2026 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Trucks: Kyle Busch Wins Tame, Time-Shortened Race at EchoPark Speedway

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) is officially in the books, and it’s Kyle “Rowdy” Busch hoisting the checkered flag in victory lane. Here’s everything that went down.

  • In the first stage of the race, it was the ThorSport duo of Ben Rhodes and Jake Garcia who dominated. However, despite that tandem running strong at the front of the pack, Kyle Busch in his No. 7 Spire HendrickCars.com Chevy was able to hold his own by himself on the bottom, often challenging for the race lead. However, it was the 2025 series champ Corey Heim who claimed the green and white checkered flag by the end of the stage. He was driving the No. 1 TriCon Garage entry, methodically working his way through the pack.
  • Stage 2 was a little more contested than Stage 1. After grueling months in rehab after shattering his pelvis and breaking his back, Stewart Friesen is back in the No. 52 Toyota. He flexed some muscle today after coming up short to Kyle Busch one year ago. He claimed Stage 2, earning valuable stage points.
  • Christian Eckes is back in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this year. Unfortunately for him, his 2025 woes in the O’Reilly Series carried through to 2026. He exited the race on Lap 4 due to a broken driveshaft.
  • As far as on-track incidents go, there weren’t too many. Adam Andretti went for a single-truck spin in the early laps of a race. It didn’t even trigger a caution. The big crash of the day featured Dawson Sutton, who crashed hard in the outside wall in the dogleg. He was okay. Cole Butcher and Kris Wright were also involved.
  • In the end, though, it was Kyle Busch who stood tall in EchoPark victory lane, working in tandem with his Spire teammate, Carson Hocevar. This marks Busch’s 68 career Truck Series victory, first all-time. It is also his first Atlanta win in a row in the series.
  • Technically, the race ended around 10 laps shy of the scheduled distance. This was due to the amount of time allotted to run the race. NASCAR opted to throw the white flag with 11 laps to go.

Results

Results for the Fr8 208 are pending.

Points Standing (2 of 25)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 12: Dawson Sutton, driver of the #26 WAR Shocks/Rackley Roofing Chevrolet, drives during Duel 1 for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on February 12, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Trucks: Dawson Sutton Hard into the Wall at EchoPark Speedway

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

After a relatively clean race, we got our first caution of the race for an incident in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The multi truck incident happed due to the result of a stack-up after Kris Wright and Cole Butcher tangled. Here’s what happened.

  • As the laps were winding down, things were starting to get dicey in the back of the lead pack. Running in the middle, Kris Wright in the No. 81 truck got loose and slid up the track.
  • Wright made contact with Cole Butcher in the No. 13 truck, causing him to get into the wall. This resulted in significant damage to that ThorSport Ford.
  • As that was happening, the lower lanes clipped the apron to avoid a larger incident. This caused Dawson Sutton in the No. 26 to get turned. He ran up the track and plowed into the outside SAFER Barrier of the dogleg.
  • Dawson Sutton was able to exit his truck under his own power and was checked and released from the infield care center.

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Trucks: Mid-Race Report from EchoPark Speedway

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series are thundering away at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) in Hampton, Georgia. Here’s what’s going on as the second stage draws to a close in Hotlanta.

  • The ThorSport Trucks dominated the opening stage with polesitter Jake Garcia and his teammate Ben Rhodes leading a bulk of the first two stages. They, along with fellow Ford driver Chandler Smith, formed a dominating single-file truck line at the top of the stage.
  • Corey Heim returned to the Craftsman Truck Series this weekend. He started the race strong, methodically working his way up through the pack, eventually taking the race lead away from the ThorSport Trucks late in Stage 1. He went on to win the stage.
  • On Lap 4 of the race, Christian Eckes, who returned to the Truck Series after an ill-fated stint in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with Kaulig, had some issues. He’s off to a tough 2026 season. Back at MHR driving the No. 91 truck, he suffered a broken driveshaft, ending his day.
  • With both stages now in the books, the top point earners so far in this race are Stewart Friesen (15 points with the Stage 2 win) and Andres Perez (7 points).
  • Cup drivers such as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 45), Carson Hocevar (No. 77), and Kyle Busch (No. 7) have yet to upset the truck regulars and not for a lack of trying. Kyle Busch tried to make the bottom work in Stage 1 but was never able to clear the leaders. Still, they all three ran solidly in the Top 10.

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