Myatt Snider unexpectedly made his NASCAR Cup Series debut last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) when Alex Bowman became ill mid-race. Bowman was diagnosed with vertigo during the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix, leading doctors and Hendrick Motorsports to pull him from the car and urgently find a replacement.
Snider, who happened to be at the track, received a sudden call to fill in. He described the moment when Chad Knaus, Hendrick Motorsports’ Vice President of Competition, tapped him on the shoulder and motioned him to return to the garage.
“I get a tap on the shoulder, and I look back, and it’s Chad Knaus, and he’s motioning me to come back to the garage,”
Myatt Snider said.
Knaus asked if Snider had his gear with him, to which Snider replied affirmatively. Moments later, it was confirmed Bowman would step out, and Snider was needed immediately.
“He’s like, just hang on a second; Alex might be stepping out of the car,”
Snider recalled.
Preparing Quickly for a Sudden Opportunity
With only minutes to spare, Snider rushed to change into his firesuit, recalling the frantic pace of those moments.
“I have never run faster in my life,”
he said.
“I make an absolute mess, throwing my crap about the entire place and changing as quickly as I possibly can.”
Meanwhile, the No. 48 crew, led by Blake Harris, had already prepared the car for Snider’s arrival.
“Blake Harris and the entire 48 crew had swapped out everything in the interior and had it ready for me to go,”
Snider said.
“They were just such professionals in that time.”
Snider then took over for the final 19 laps at one of NASCAR’s toughest road courses, finishing 37th. Although Bowman officially earned the finish due to starting the race, Snider’s performance showcased his readiness under pressure.
Snider Reflects on His Debut and Future
After the race, Snider expressed the significance of his first Cup Series experience, a moment he had dreamed of since childhood.
“Cup Debut. This is a moment I’ve been dreaming of since I was 10 years old and got into racing. Getting to drive for such an iconic team, and an iconic number, truly was the honor of a lifetime,”
he wrote on social media.
At 31, Snider earned this opportunity through his consistent efforts in NASCAR’s lower series, with 112 starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, including one win and a pole position. His record gained NASCAR’s approval for this Cup entry.
Despite the exciting debut, Snider will not run in the next Cup race at Phoenix Raceway. Anthony Alfredo has been named to replace Bowman for that event, bringing his experience of 43 Cup Series starts to the No. 48 car.
Alex Bowman’s Ongoing Absences and Team Plans
Bowman has now missed races across three seasons due to health issues: a concussion sidelined him for five races in 2022, a compression fracture caused him to miss three in 2023, and vertigo forced him out mid-race at COTA. During his absences, Noah Gragson and Josh Berry have also filled in behind the wheel for Hendrick Motorsports.
Hendrick Motorsports is expected to request a medical waiver to maintain Bowman’s eligibility for the Cup Series championship as he continues to recover.
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