It appears as if Alex Bowman and the No. 48 group are displaying up when the chips are down.
After Joey Logano’s win at Nashville put the No. 48 group on the playoff minimize line heading into Chicago, the group determined to treatment the pressure-filled state of affairs in one of the best ways doable — successful on the Chicago Road race to make sure a 2024 playoff berth.
Whereas it is true that Bowman may’ve not less than been one spot higher on Sunday at Pocono — if not two — a third-place end at one of many hardest tracks on the schedule bodes properly for Bowman and crew chief Blake Harris going into the playoffs.
All in all, Pocono was the perfect total race the No. 48 group has put collectively all season. Bowman certified sixth, earned 9 stage factors and even battled Ryan Blaney for the race lead late earlier than giving up second place to Denny Hamlin.
With the two.5 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway — a monitor related in character to Pocono — lurking subsequent week, the No. 48 group appears to lastly be hitting its stride because the common season winds down. With their friends on the playoff bubble combating for his or her postseason lives, Bowman and Harris can relaxation simple figuring out their postseason bid is secured.
That actually does not take any strain off the group to win races, nevertheless it does imply the group can take possibilities that their opponents cannot. If each velocity and technique begin to flip of their favor, the No. 48 group could be and needs to be thought-about a menace to make a deep playoff run.
The final time Bowman had an injury-free season earlier than 2024? 2021, a 12 months through which he received 4 races. In 2020, he dominated the race at Auto Membership Speedway and made it to the Spherical of 8 within the playoffs.
If Bowman is ready to keep wholesome, the sky stands out as the restrict for what a surging No. 48 group can accomplish within the postseason.
With 5 regular-season races remaining for Bowman to stack playoff factors, all of the playing cards will probably be ready to be performed by Harris ought to a state of affairs come up through which he wants them.
Within the meantime, regulate Bowman and the No. 48 group — they appear to have lastly turned the nook and at the moment are proving to be a weekly menace.
