Bowman, 23, savoring shot as Earnhardt’s replacement

CONCORD, N.C. — Alex Bowman believes Dale Earnhardt Jr. helped his racing career once already when he gave him a handful of starts with JR Motorsports. Now sidelined for the year with a concussion, Earnhardt also helped Bowman by recommending him as a replacement driver at Hendrick Motorsports.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. saved my career two years ago when he gave me that chance in the Xfinity car,” Bowman said. “Without him saying, ‘Hey put Alex in it,’ I don’t think that Hendrick Motorsports really would have thought of me (for Earnhardt’s replacement.)”

Earnhardt’s time on the sideline has given Bowman a shot to shine in spectacular equipment.

He was 10th at Chicago in Earnhardt’s car, and 14th two weeks ago at New Hampshire. Now he’ll start a career-best second Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where rain and wind from Hurricane Matthew have postponed the race originally scheduled for Saturday night. Sunday’s Bank of America 500 will start at 9 a.m. (KSNV-3).

Bowman has no problems waiting an extra day.

He had no Sprint Cup plans whatsoever this season until Earnhardt got injured. Now he’s splitting Earnhardt’s car with Jeff Gordon.

What was thought to be a one-race substitution has turned into 10 races with one of the top organizations in NASCAR.

Bowman has gone from the backside of the garage to the penthouse suite, where he has access to the best tools, technology and teammates.

“It’s very interesting how the garage works — I feel like if you are in one of the back 10 cars you are not really almost even looked at as a race car driver until you do something that you are not supposed to do,” he said. “Like if you run better than you are supposed to, you pass somebody you are not supposed to or you out-qualify somebody you are not supposed to. Showing up to the racetrack in a Hendrick Motorsports car, I feel like I walk in and I’m viewed differently.

“Nobody on the Cup side really knew who I was until I out-qualified Dale Jr. at Richmond two years ago and he gave me a shot in his Xfinity car. I did something I wasn’t supposed to do in the car that I was driving and opened one person’s eye that I got an Xfinity ride from. You are definitely viewed differently depending on what you drive and what you do with it.”