Alex Bowman to miss NASCAR race at Phoenix due to vertigo diagnosis; Anthony Alfredo to fill in

Hendrick Motorsports ^ | March 5, 2026 | Hendrick Motorsports

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

CONCORD, N.C. – Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports , will not compete in the March 8 NASCAR Cup Series event at Phoenix Raceway due to vertigo diagnosed this week.

Bowman, 32, began experiencing symptoms during Sunday’s road course race at Circuit of The Americas before exiting the car at lap 71. The Tucson, Arizona, native underwent two days of medical evaluation this week and drove laps today in a streetcar at the Ten Tenths Motor Club road course in Concord.

“Alex has worked very hard over the last several days,” said Jeff Andrews, president of Hendrick Motorsports. “We’re encouraged by the progress he’s making, but we have to prioritize his health above all else. It’s obviously frustrating for him because he’s a competitor and wants to be in the race car, especially at his home track. We’ll continue to support Alex and look forward to his return as soon as he’s medically cleared.”

Driver Anthony Alfredo will fill in this weekend at Phoenix. The native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, has 210 NASCAR national series starts, including 43 at the Cup level. Alfredo, 26, performs extensive simulator testing for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet.

Hendrick Motorsports will request a medical waiver to allow Bowman to remain eligible for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship.

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Sports
KEYWORDS: hendrick; isv; nascar; phoenix

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

Alex Bowman's situation caused him to pit around Lap 71 and be replaced by a Fox reporter's production staffer (a pit spotter). Myatt Snider was not approved by NASCAR originally, but an emergency meeting was called. Cup Series managing director Brad Moran and senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer received a text message during the race from Hendrick Motorsports VP of Competition Chad Knaus, asking for Snider to be approved to get in the car, as Bowman was ill and unsure he could finish the event. The request needed to be made as per the protocol of relief drivers, but also because Snider was not approved, at the time, for Cup Series competition.

An emergency conference call was made at race control by the two NASCAR officials with race control officials Chad Little and John Probst. With 112 Truck and O'Reilly starts, with an O'Reilly win at Homestead, and full seasons, NASCAR made the decision since it was a road course, he should be allowed.

https://racer.com/2026/03/04/how-nascar-expedited-the-process-to-get-snider-into-the-no-48-at-cota

[Larry Lucido]

I’ve had vertigo real bad. Not good to drive in that condition.

[Round Earther]

NASCAR would be more exciting if every driver had vertigo at 200 mph.

[SaxxonWoods]

Hate it, had it for 25 years. 3rd doctor finally figured out a fix: Hydrochlorothiazide, smallest dose. It’s a blood pressure medicine. I’m good now. I can skip one pill a week and get away with that, my current doctor approves that idea. I just drink a lot of water and I’m good.

[doorgunner69]

Going around and around in the same direction will do that.

Maybe mix it up like a real road race

[Az Joe]

Vertigo huh? There goes my NASCAR Seniors Championship trophy!

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

The problem happened at a road course through Maggots-Becketts-Chapel (Turns 2-6). They do not use the S do Senna section That created most of his problem. Also note they do not have the long 5/8 mile backstretch, so there is no time to relax on the straight as would on the international circuit.

[Larry Lucido]

Glad to hear it has improved. One of the worst feelings ever.