Alex Bowman assumed Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s place at Hendrick Motorsports. The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season began with the Daytona 500, which had a chaotic final lap and ended under a yellow flag. The driver who was leading when the yellow flag was waved, Bowman, was declared the winner. His teammate finished in second place, while Christopher Bell from JGR finished third.
The conclusion of the race generated controversy among fans. Some argued that NASCAR made the wrong decision to end the race early and believed it should have continued under a green flag. However, this argument was invalidated because Bowman, who was hit by another driver, was in a vulnerable position when reentering the track.
Another point of controversy was the footage from Bowman’s in-car camera, the No:48 Chevy, which showed that he was ahead of Byron when the yellow lights came on. Unfortunately for Bowman, the lights took a moment to come on as the tower’s yellow lights were already flashing. Bowman expressed his sadness over the situation and his defeat to Dale Earnhardt Jr.
NASCAR resolved the controversies surrounding the end of the 2024 Daytona 500, in part because the involved drivers were from the same team. Regardless of who won, Hendrick Motorsports achieved an impressive first and second place. If someone from another team, like Ross Chastain, had taken the victory from Bowman or Byron, it would have caused more online drama and forced NASCAR to provide further clarifications. However, the driver has already moved on from the incident and is now focused on the next race.
The year 2024 is significant for Bowman as he seeks to prove his worth after a winless 2023 season due to a mid-season injury. He is determined to end his winless streak early on and secure a spot in the playoffs.
