Alex Bowman’s return to the track comes at a time that is now defined as one of the most difficult phases of his career. His 2026 season has already witnessed instability when he missed multiple races due to vertigo. However, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Bowman's return has seen a sharp reversal in his form, including back-to-back third-place finishes, with the most recent one being at Texas Motor Speedway. Thus, the question arises: What must Bowman do to keep his form intact? Jeff Gordon addressed exactly that.

“Well, I mean, just continue to improve and contribute the way he has been, which goes deeper than just results,” Gordon said, before expanding, “It’s all about… the feedback that he has throughout the race, throughout the race weekend, Monday debriefs, and he’s doing all those things.”

He further commented, “Alex is a great guy… we think the world of Alex, he’s like family to us, and he’s been a great asset to Hendrick, he has been through a lot and fought hard.”

He then soon affirmed his faith in Hendrick by stating, “We just want what’s best for him and what’s best for the team right now, and that’s where our focus is.”

This showcased that despite early failures, his succeeding performance has earned Hendrick the value that his team now understands.

However, what initially tainted him, we must not forget, were the health scares. These scares reflect some of the most difficult moments for a sportsperson that many have tried to overcome.

Health interruptions across elite drivers expose a deeper systemic fragility

The pattern is not just about one driver but is visible throughout the sport. Take, for example, Dale Earnhardt Jr., who missed multiple races in 2016 due to symptoms of a concussion, later admitting that the effects lingered for a long time, ultimately affecting his retirement.

Fernando Alonso was ruled out after a concussion in 2015, with recovery extending beyond initial expectations, while Sergio Pérez missed races following a similar head injury in Monaco.

Even Danica Patrick revealed multiple concussions throughout her career that, as she said, constantly affected her non-racing life.

In every single case, this disruption did not just end at absence, but showed how it extends far beyond that into each driver’s life.

Thus, even though the path for Bowman remains hard and uncertain ahead, he must push on and end the injury before it threatens his racing future even longer.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Uday Jakhar

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason