Jeff Gordon expresses support for Alex Bowman: "This is our guy"

Alex Bowman put together a near-perfect race at Homestead-Miami Speedway as he continues a very strong start to his 2025 season. Watching from atop the No. 48 pit box was NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, who currently works as the vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports.

Bowman earned pole position and was a consistent contender throughout the entire event, leading 43 laps. However, his teammate 壯陽藥
f=”https://www.motorsport.com/driver/kyle-larson/17135/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Kyle Larson was set on denying him that race win. He was rapidly closing on Bowman late in the race, who attempted to adjust his line before getting into the outside wall, which allowed Larson to complete the pass for the lead with six laps to go.

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images

“Listen, I think this performance all weekend, to have that solid of a weekend pole — pit stops were great. They were basically in the top five all day long, led a bunch of laps,” said Gordon in the post-race press conference.

“You know, to be leading at the end, contending, that does a lot for a race team. I think we saw the momentum building with that team last year, at the end of last year. You just hope that they can build on that and carry that into the season, and I think they have. You’ve got to get the results.

“So I think today was an important day for them, and I think you’ll see that create quite a spark to hopefully get them on a run.”

Handling the pressure 

Bowman has some big expectations to live up to, surrounded by two NASCAR Cup Series champions and a two-time Daytona 500 winner. Over the past four seasons, he has always been the lowest Hendrick Motorsports driver in the final championship standings. He’s also driving the No. 48, which Jimmie Johnson took to seven NASCAR Cup Series titles between 2006 and 2016.

The 31-year-old has also been hindered by some injuries, suffering a concussion late in the 2022 season and fracturing a vertebra in a sprint car crash just a few months after that. 

Support from HMS

Although there are unsubstantiated rumors that constantly appear regarding his future at Hendrick Motorsports, Gordon asserted on Sunday that the organization has worked hard to make sure Bowman “knows he’s got the support behind him.”

This includes bolstering the No. 48 team from the inside and finding the right people to achieve the success desired by a top-level team like HMS.

“You know, I think if you compare them to the other Hendrick teams, Blake [Harris, crew chief] was sort of one of the steps, and then he’s been working on car chief and the pit crew and just putting all the pieces together.

Watch: Alex Bowman: ‘Choked that one away’ in Homestead runner-up

“Alex and he have always been on the same page and have a lot of confidence in one another. But when a team has the confidence that the organization is behind their moves and supporting them and the sponsors are there for them, it’s, Hey, take all those things off to the side. Don’t worry about that. Just go and make your race cars the best you can make them. Drive the car the best you can. Prep the best you can. Mentally, physically just be in a position to go capitalize when the day goes well.

“I think that is really what I’m seeing this year in them, but also what you saw today.”

Bowman is certainly off to a strong start, sitting third in the points standings with five top-fives in the first six races of the year. Gordon went on to clearly state “this is our guy” when asked about the outside noise around Bowman. Gordon was also one of the first to arrive at the No. 48 car after the Homestead finish, offering support to Bowman while his other driver celebrated on the frontstretch.