Kevin Harvick Hails Alex Bowman Over Thriving Under Pain at Mexico City

Ex-NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick shared his thoughts on Alex Bowman’s impressive performance at Mexico City.

Kevin Harvick Hails Alex Bowman Over Thriving Under Pain at Mexico City

Alex Bowman and Kevin Harvick (Via IMAGO)

Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman came into the Mexico City Cup Series race after a nasty wreck a week ahead at Michigan International Speedway. He crashed hard into the wall, and suffered an injury that thretenned his chances of racing in NASCAR maiden international race of the Next-Gen era. But he showed pure resilience and produced a solid run at Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigue.

Alex Bowman couldn’t train well ahead of the race, as he had skipped the team meeting and sim session owing to severe backpain that made it hard to even walk. Even when he came to Mexico, he was forced stay in the hotel room and rest, while other drivers explored the country. He wasn’t able to perform well in the qualifying, earning only P29 start.

But the veteran wasn’t ready to give up, he persevered, survived the pain and secure a solid P4 finish towards the end of the race, keeping his strong road course finish streak alive. 2014 Cup champion Kevin Harvick was impressed by the No:48 Chevy drivers’ performance and highlighted how he gutted out a strong finish, by hyper focusing on doing everything right overlooking the pain.

Gutted it out, and sometimes when you get into those scenarios where you’re kind of not feeling good or you’re hurt, and you have to gut those things out, you get so focused on not letting that affect you, that you become hyper focused on doing everything right.

Kevin Harvick said on Happy Hour podcast.

The veteran racer highlighted how hard it has been for the No:48 team to secure the top-5 finish during the physical discomfort. The track being in a higher altitude than any other tracks the Cup drivers have raced in, making it more physically taxing for drivers like Bowman who just recovered from an injury.

It was a good day for the 48 to overcome all the things he had to deal with from himself physically. We talked a lot about the altitude in Mexico City being so high, so we knew all the drivers were gonna be taxed in their scenario.

Kevin Harvick added.

Mexico might be the momentum changing race for Alex Bowman

Before the Mexico race, Alex Bowman has been on an inconsistent run. He started the year strong with five top 10s from the first six races of the season, including a P2 at Homestead. But since then, he has scored three top 10s and seven finishes outside the top 25.

Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman (Via IMAGO)

Talking about this inconsistency, Kevin Harvick asserted that with the latest top-5 run, the No:48 team seems to be back on track get back to winning ways. The ex-Stewart Haas Racing driver believes the result is going to change the veteran’s season for good.

I think the 48 team — they show flashes of brilliance in moments like this where we know they can go out and win races and do what they need to do. But they’re very inconsistent, and good for Alex going out there and making it through the weekend and having a good result to go with it.

Kevin Harvick said.

It won’t be easy for the drivers, considering he will have tough competition even from his own teammates like William Byron, Chase Elliott and kyle Larson in the coming three road course events. He has to perform on higher level in the coming weeks as consistently being inconsistent on the track might affect his HMS future.

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