Alex Bowman, known for driving the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series, also owns a dirt track racing operation named Alex Bowman Racing. The team competes in Midget and Sprint car events, including the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals, reflecting Bowman’s deep passion for dirt racing alongside his professional stock car career.
Building a Team to Support Dirt Racing Talent
Bowman established Alex Bowman Racing as a personal avenue to stay connected to dirt racing, successfully fielding multiple cars and supporting prominent drivers in the sport. This year, his team entered four cars in the Chili Bowl Nationals, continuing a tradition of competitive participation. Drivers such as CJ Leary, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Jake Swanson have driven under the ABR banner, benefiting from Bowman’s commitment to developing talent in the dirt racing community.
The Challenges of Ownership and Financial Burdens
Despite his enthusiasm, Bowman openly discussed the demanding nature of managing his dirt racing team during an appearance on the HOT ROD Pod podcast. He admitted the realities of ownership can be difficult, saying,
Still ended up doing all the work and paying all the bills and having none of the fun, and I was like, ‘This sucks.’ We’ve had some successful years (in Chili Bowl).
Bowman described the financial strains he has faced, recounting,
Had some years where my finances fly through the air and you flip over and over, and it’s like dollar signs falling off the car as it’s flipping. They’ve hurt a little bit, but yeah, it’s been a really fun thing for me to get to do.
Hands-On Involvement in Car Preparation
Beyond ownership duties, Bowman takes an active role in preparing his team’s cars, dedicating much of his time to working on them personally. He revealed his approach to the technical side of the operation:
Honestly, like I do 90% of the prep work on those cars myself. One thing I’m not good at is the fabrication side of things. Like, I’m not patient enough, and I’m not good enough to do it at a level that I’m happy with.
With support from friends at Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman manages the fabrication needs while remaining hands-on with maintenance and race-day responsibilities. He added,
I have a lot of great friends at HMS that help me on the fab side of things, but beyond that, I’m doing all the prep work myself and working on them myself at the racetrack crew chiefing them, and it’s a lot of fun,
highlighting his enthusiasm despite the workload.
Impact of Injury on Sprint Car Program
In 2023, Bowman suffered a compression fracture in his back following a crash in a 410 Sprint car. This injury led to a significant change, as he scaled back the Sprint car portion of his operation. By late 2025, Alex Bowman Racing had sold its Sprint car inventory, and the team withdrew from Sprint car events to focus more on other areas of the operation. Bowman stepped away from driving dirt cars himself, refocusing his energy on his full-time NASCAR responsibilities while maintaining ownership roles.
Joining Peers in NASCAR Who Own Dirt Cars
This year, Bowman was among several active NASCAR Cup Series drivers to enter cars in the Chili Bowl, alongside notable names such as Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, and Kyle Busch. The crossover between stock car racing and dirt track ownership highlights a shared passion within the NASCAR community. Additionally, crew chiefs have shown interest in ownership roles; for example, Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Blake Harris served as car owner for Jesse Love during this year’s Chili Bowl event.
Enduring Commitment to Dirt Racing Ownership
Alex Bowman’s dedication to managing a dirt track racing team demonstrates his genuine love for the sport, even as it poses financial and physical challenges. His involvement ranges from hands-on car preparation to orchestrating entries in major events like the Chili Bowl Nationals. While Bowman now concentrates fully on his NASCAR career, his continued ownership presence reflects the impact and significance of dirt racing within his broader motorsports journey. The interplay between his roles as both driver and owner showcases the multifaceted nature of his commitment to racing.
