Alex Bowman has already had a rocky season after he missed several races due to vertigo, and now the last thing he'd want is the car not supporting him when he needs it the most. That's what happened at Charlotte on Sunday.

“Kevin, just tell me what Blake said. I did hear Blake. I did not break s***. The [expletive] parts broke,” said a frustrated Bowman on his radio during the race. His crew chief, Blake Harris, replied, “Yeah, maybe we broke it? I don’t know.”

Bowman reportedly lost first and second gears during the race, which affected his performance. At this point, his contention has become more of a test of survival rather than speed.

Nonetheless, he finished P17, but the blame is landing more on the boss than on Bowman himself. Many fans are not happy that Bowman is not being supported in the right way, whether it's team equipment or crew chief assistance.

This is especially when Bowman is doing everything from his seat to do his best, which has been shown in his recent performances since he's come back from his absence. He secured consecutive P3 finishes at Talladega and Texas, and finished P9 at Dover as well.

Fans poured out their feelings straight against HMS and Hendrick regarding this.

Fans continue to blame Hendrick Motorsports despite Bowman’s effort

Alex Bowman’s performance is drawing praise from around the garage, but at the same time, it is also triggering massive backlash from fans who are disappointed with Hendrick Motorsports’ performance.

This showed that the driver was reliable, yet it was Hendrick who was messing up.

One frustrated fan wrote, “There has been a problem with the team/chief last year & this year. Not even the sub drivers could drive the car. HMS is obviously not concerned. Alex has been through a lot and deserves better.”

Another added, “The relationship is reminding me of Kyle Busch and Jim Pohlman. Alex Bowman needs a new crew chief.”

Criticism then shifted heavily towards the team, especially towards crew chief Blake Harris.

“The team needs to do a hugely better job of giving Alex better setup cars,” one fan posted, while another argued, “Losing 1st & 2nd gear that early is not on Alex, it shows that there is nobody good on that team that can do their job right.”

One fan even went on to predict that sweeping changes could be introduced soon. “I have a feeling there will be changes in the #48 next year,” the reaction read, showcasing how relentless massive portions of the HMS fan base were getting.

With fans growing frustrated, HMS could address those concerns and fix them before it is too late for the team in the championship contention.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Uday Jakhar

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason