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Alex Bowman admits he "choked that one away" in tough Homestead loss

Alex Bowman started Sunday's race from pole position and was looking to follow the example set by Tyler Reddick last year as the latest driver to win this race from the front of the grid. Bowman led 43 laps and was collecting stage points throughout the day.

On the final restart with just over 50 laps remaining, Bowman was in fourth but quickly made it three-wide for the race lead. While Bubba Wallace escaped and drove away, he was able to run him back down within 20 laps and power into the race lead. Unfortunately for him, his teammate Kyle Larson was making an extremely high line work, running right up against the outside wall. 

Bowman tried to counter as his lead evaporated, but it didn't work, as the wall grabbed him, slowing him down at the exit of Turn 4, coming to six to go. That made Larson's job easy as he drove on by and never looked back.

"I guess I choked that one away," lamented Bowman after the race. "Saw the 5 [Larson] coming, so moved around a little bit. Not when he passed me, but the time before that I hit it hard with the right front and ended up just bending something enough that I lost a lot of right front feel and then I pulled it off the wall too far right there, and ended up hitting the fence pretty bad.

"So I hate that for this Ally 48 group. They deserve better than that. Just a couple of mistakes there. I felt like we were okay all day. That last run was the best we were ... Hate it for Mr. Hendrick. Congrats to Kyle. We're going to try get another one this week."

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Photo by: Chris Graythen - Getty Images)

Sunday's runner-up result was Bowman's best result since winning at the Chicago Street Course last summer and his first top-five finish ever at Homestead. He leaves this race third in the championship standings, trailing his Hendrick teammates Larson and William Byron, who sits atop the points pile.

Photos from Homestead-Miami - Race

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Fans

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

NASCAR President Steve Phelps, John Hunter Nemechek, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kevin Harvick

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Joe Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Spire Motorsports pit crew member

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

NASCAR President Steve Phelps

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Heavy smoke seen after Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford engine blow

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Homestead-Miami - Sunday

NASCAR Cup
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In this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
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