Alex Bowman’s bid for a playoff spot ended early at Daytona on Aug. 23 due to a multi-car crash.
During the Coke Zero Sugar 400, a collision initiated by Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson resulted in significant damage to Bowman’s car. The incident, occurring 28 laps into the race, left Bowman unable to continue after he hit the outside wall in the frontstretch tri-oval.
Bowman and his No. 48 Chevrolet managed to complete a lap before requiring a tow back to the garage area. His team was unable to make the necessary repairs, resulting in a Did Not Finish (DNF) status and a placement outside the top 30.
According to NASCAR officials, Bowman could still qualify for the playoffs based on points if there aren’t any new race winners. He was vying for a position against Tyler Reddick, who had a 29-point lead but sustained splitter damage earlier in the race.
With Daytona often yielding unexpected outcomes, the potential for a winner outside the top 10 in points looms large, especially for drivers like Bowman who are at risk of missing the playoff cutline.