By Neha Dwivedi, Staff Writer
Alex Bowman climbed out of the No. 48 Chevrolet during Lap 71 of the 95-lap race this past week at Circuit of the Americas – suffering from a medical condition later identified as vertigo.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver had been running near the rear of the field when he pulled behind the wall during Stage 3. At first, the fans suspected heat inside the cockpit and trouble with the cooling shirt, an issue several drivers reported during the race. From the car, he went to the infield care center and then back to Charlotte, N.C.
Myatt Snider climbed into the car for the remaining 34 laps of the race and brought the Chevrolet home in 36th place, six laps down. Because Bowman started the event, the result went into the books under his name, along with the five points from the race.
Snider, who made his first start in the NASCAR Cup Series during the event at COTA, later reflected on the moment in a post on X, “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.”
Bowman’s condition has also kept him out of the Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway. In his place, the No. 48 entry will be handled by Anthony Alfredo.
Alfredo, 26, works as the full-time simulator driver for Hendrick Motorsports, working on setups that help all four Cup teams prepare for race weekends. He also races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Viking Motorsports, driving the No. 96 Chevrolet. Besides that, he has 43 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, including a full season in 2021 with Front Row Motorsports.
Through his simulator work, Alfredo has logged many laps around Phoenix Raceway while helping HMS prepare for the season finale. In race conditions, however, he has two Cup starts at the track with an average finish of 35.5.
Alfredo’s 2026 campaign has already taken a few turns. He raced his way into the Daytona 500 with Beard Motorsports, though the entry later faced disqualification during post-race inspection.
Speaking about the call-up to drive the No. 48 at Phoenix, Alfredo said the moment comes with mixed feelings.
“It’s just weird, right? I don’t want to see anyone in the position Alex is in, so it’s hard for me to be excited,” he said. “That makes it certainly disappointing, because a lot of people are asking me how excited I am, and I’m not excited that I have to fill in for someone who’s not able to be in their own car this weekend. But it is, of course, a huge opportunity for me to go out there and do a good job and maybe turn some heads, but I don’t even feel like I have to prove anything to anybody. Honestly, I don’t think they would have picked me if they didn’t think I could do it right, so it’s not about that. I think it’s more going out there and just do what’s asked of me and doing a good job behind the wheel, filling in.”
Even so, Alfredo acknowledged that the moment is big for him. His career has required patience on track, and his work in the simulator has become a point of pride. During the week, he spends hours inside the facility working through laps and setups, helping the team sharpen its approach for race weekends.
On Alfredo taking up the No. 48 wheel for the weekend, Jeff Andrews, president of Hendrick Motorsports said, “Alex has worked very hard over the last several days. We’re encouraged by the progress he’s making, but we have to prioritize his health above all else. It’s obviously frustrating for him because he’s a competitor and wants to be in the race car, especially at his home track. We’ll continue to support Alex and look forward to his return as soon as he’s medically cleared.”
Alfredo arrived in the Cup garage on Friday wearing one of Bowman’s Ally fire suits. “That was kind of a lucky fit, I guess,” he said.
The layout inside the car also lined up with his preferences. Alfredo and the crew worked through adjustments, switching his equipment into the cockpit and dialing in the seat position.
The No. 48 machine comes from a stable that has stood near the front of the sport for years. Yet stepping into another driver’s cockpit is definitely like walking in someone else’s shoes. Drivers build habits around pedal reach, steering wheel placement, and seat posture, and even a small change can throw things out of rhythm.
But speaking during a media session ahead of the race weekend, Alfredo said the transition has felt smooth.
“So, we’re actually really close,” he said. “When he comes in to run some laps during the week prior to races, we don’t really move anything in the simulator. I got in his car; the pedals and the steering wheel are exactly where I would have chosen to have them. I’m wearing one of his fire suits, actually, so that was kind of a lucky fit, I guess.”
He also compared the simulator environment with the real machine. The two worlds line up in many ways, though a racecar carries more tools for the driver to manage during a run. “They’re very close and realistic,” he commented.
Alfredo believes his background in the NASCAR Xfinity Series has already given him a taste of the variables that shape a race weekend. Grip changes, shifts in weather, and the tempo of a long run can all alter the plans once the green flag drops.
With that experience in his pocket, Alfredo intends to take the opportunity at Phoenix Raceway as it comes and keep his focus on the task in front of him.