Alex Bowman focuses onward to the NASCAR Playoffs after a stressful Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Alex Bowman’s path to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs was anything but conventional. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet found himself in a precarious position early in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, crashing out on Lap 28 in a multi-car accident along the dogleg of the track.
Despite finishing 36th, Bowman secured the 16th and final playoff spot, thanks to a timely victory by Ryan Blaney.
Bowman started the race from the second position after qualifying was canceled due to weather. The starting lineup was set using NASCAR’s performance-based metric system, putting him near the front and giving him an opportunity to control his destiny early. But the race quickly turned chaotic.
“Being in front of it is really about all I could do, unfortunately,” Bowman said. “From where we were, there just really wasn’t any way to get around it. All of the hits just sort of compounded too much to be able to fix it.”
The incident involved multiple cars and left Bowman’s team scrambling. The damage was severe enough to end their night far earlier than expected. It was a frustrating outcome for a team that had been performing consistently and gaining momentum in recent weeks.
“It was all very out of our control,” Bowman said. “I hate that we tanked so bad the first run. The bottom lane just fell apart behind us. We had to overcome that, but we had gotten back to the back side of the top-10. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out.”
After the crash, Bowman was left to watch the rest of the race from the garage, knowing that his playoff fate depended on whether a new race winner would emerge among the full-time drivers. If a new winner had crossed the finish line, Bowman’s season could have ended without a playoff berth.
Alex Bowman started second alongside Ryan Blaney in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
“Tonight is going to be stressful to watch, but we’ll see what happens,” Bowman said. “Hope for no new winners, but if somebody wins, they deserve it. It’s unfortunate that we haven’t won yet this year. We’ve been so strong, especially lately. I would say from Michigan on, it’s been something fun to be a part of.”
The tension built throughout the race as drivers battled for the lead. Several playoff contenders had opportunities to take the checkered flag, but none of the new contenders succeeded. Meanwhile, Bowman could only sit and wait, relying on the performance of others to determine whether his season would continue.
Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, had previously won the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway in June. On Saturday night, he surged to victory in a dramatic late-race charge, crossing the finish line ahead of the field in a tense four-wide battle. His win meant no new race winner had emerged, securing Bowman’s playoff berth despite his early exit.
“Seven million beers. I’m certainly thankful for him,” Bowman said to FOX NASCAR’s Bob Pockrass when asked what he owed Blaney. “Ryan’s a good dude and I’m happy to see him win. He’s had a ton of huge hits here. Just thankful that he won. Shitty. It’s not a good time to be me but more so, I don’t want to let my team down.
“They worked really hard, they’ve done a lot of really good things. The situation that we were in coming here, it’s tough and we crashed. And it was something that was outside of our control. You just have to sit and watch. It’s not fun for any of these guys. They all worked really hard and they deserve to be in it and I’m glad that we’re in it.”
Bowman’s team, which had been showing strong results in recent races, now turns its attention to the playoffs. Despite the setback at Daytona, the driver and his crew remain focused on the upcoming challenge. Their resilience in overcoming a difficult situation demonstrates the unpredictable nature of NASCAR’s superspeedway racing and the fine margins that separate success from disappointment.
Alex Bowman gets to reward his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team with a shot at the NASCAR Cup Series championship in the 2025 Playoffs. (Photo: Grady Lundberg | The Podium Finish)
“Being in front of it is really about all I could do, unfortunately,” Bowman said. “From where we were, there just really wasn’t any way to get around it. All of the hits just sort of compounded too much to be able to fix it. I hate it for the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team. We’ve done a lot of good things lately.”
With the regular season concluded, the NASCAR Cup Series now moves into its postseason, where every race counts and every decision can make or break a championship run. For Bowman, the ride to the playoffs may have been nerve-wracking, but it’s a testament to his consistency over the season that he remains in contention.
“It was all very out of our control,” Bowman said. “I hate that we tanked so bad the first run. The bottom lane just fell apart behind us. We had to overcome that, but we had gotten back to the back side of the top-10. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out.”
Bowman’s playoff berth, secured without a race victory, underscores the high stakes and unpredictability that define NASCAR’s top series. With a full field of playoff drivers now set, the championship chase is ready to begin, and Bowman will have a chance to compete for his first win of the season under the pressure of the postseason.
