Alex Bowman splits the 88 car with Jeff Gordon (2016)
Join me throughout this year as I take a look at when some of the sport’s biggest stars drove some unusual cars! (Presented in no particular order).
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| Alex Bowman takling to Dale Earnhardt Jr., Courtesy NBC Sports |
Why? Perhaps no one in modern NASCAR has had a stranger journey to a top-level Cup team than Alex Bowman. He ran full seasons for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing, then took on a test-driver role with Chevy before getting the call to share the 88 ride with Jeff Gordon, replacing an injured Dale Earnhardt Jr.
How successful were they? Bowman acquitted himself admirably, posting three top-tens in his first ten Cup starts with a truly top-flight operation.
What was the aftermath? Bowman missed the 2017 season before replacing Dale Jr. full-time in 2018. Since then he has posted eight Cup wins through the end of the 2024 season.
Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 7 weird paint schemes out of 10—just goes to show you that sometimes the guy running 30th really DOES have talent, he just needs an opportunity.
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