CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 25: Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Patriotic Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Alex Bowman showed up in the Pocono Raceway Media Center feeling as confident and optimistic as he has in his young career. The 26-year old is coming off the best four-race stretch he’s ever turned in – including three consecutive runner-up finishes at Talladega, Dover and Kansas.
CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 17: Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Axalta Chevrolet, sits in his car during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Open Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 17, 2019, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – On the brink. Oh, so close.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman has heard the words and lived the sentiment.
TALLADEGA, AL – APRIL 28: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 Mountain Dew/Little Caesar’s Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 28, 2019 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series ran full throttle Sunday in the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. It has been two weeks since the last race, and it was obvious that these drivers were itching to get at it again. Talladega Superspeedway was the perfect place to race after coming out of the break.
TALLADEGA, AL – APRIL 28: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 Mountain Dew/Little Caesar’s Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 28, 2019 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Chase Elliott seized the lead in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway during a four-lap shootout to the finish and took the checkered flag under caution after Kyle Larson barrel-rolled behind him.
It was a frustrating day for pole winner Chase Elliott as the Hendrick Motorsports driver lost the power steering in his No. 9 Chevrolet barely 20 laps into the race, then was involved in an incident just shy of the halfway point of the 500-lap race.