Hendrick Motorsports announced on Monday that they will not be appealing Alex Bowman's disqualification at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which has effectively eliminated him from NASCAR title contention. Bowman finished the race at The Roval in 18th place, a position that was enough to knock Joey Logano of Team Penske out of the playoff field by four points. However, NASCAR found that Bowman's No. 48 Chevrolet failed a post-race inspection due to not meeting the minimum weight requirements, resulting in his disqualification and subsequent drop to 38th place.
Despite having the option to appeal the decision, Hendrick Motorsports decided against it. In a statement, the team acknowledged that they did not provide enough margin to meet the post-race weight requirement, leading to the unintentional but avoidable infraction. They expressed disappointment over losing a playoff spot under these circumstances and issued an apology to their fans and partners.
All playoff cars undergo inspection after a race, and in this case, NASCAR stated that Hendrick Motorsports had multiple opportunities to address the weight issue by fueling the car, purging the water system, and adding water to meet the minimum weight. However, the car remained light during subsequent weight checks.
The disqualification was particularly disheartening for Bowman's sponsor, Ally, whose chief marketing officer expressed deep disappointment for Bowman and the team, emphasizing their hard-fought efforts throughout the season. Bowman had been the highest points earner in the first round of the playoffs.
Following the disqualification, the eight drivers who will advance to the third round of the playoffs are William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Larson from Hendrick Motorsports, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney from Team Penske, Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin from Joe Gibbs Racing, and Tyler Reddick from 23XI Racing. This turn of events leaves Hendrick Motorsports with only three eligible cars for the upcoming race at Las Vegas this Sunday.
Overall, the disqualification at Charlotte Motor Speedway has reshaped the playoff landscape in NASCAR, with Bowman's exclusion and Logano's reinstatement marking a significant shift in the competition.
