Bowman Back at Bristol After Frightening Vertigo Episode

Q: What caused Alex Bowman's vertigo episode before his return to racing?

Alex Bowman could not pinpoint a specific cause for his vertigo episode, which occurred during a race at the Circuit of the Americas.

Q: How has Alex Bowman's performance been at Bristol in the past?

In 17 starts at Bristol, Alex Bowman has achieved two poles, three top-five finishes, and six top-10 finishes, with only three races where he failed to finish.

Q: Why did Alex Bowman choose to return to racing at Bristol instead of Kansas Speedway?

Bowman chose to return at Bristol because he was medically cleared to race and felt ready, despite it being a physically demanding track.

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Bowman: “I Thought My Career Could Be Over”Icon Sportswire - Getty Images After being sidelined for a month with vertigo, Alex Bowman says he can’t point to one thing that caused his condition, but when he exited his car at the Circuit of the Americas in early March, he thought his racing career could be over. “I’ve raced through a lot of injuries, but that was one (at COTA) where I was going to end up running into something or somebody and the smart thing to do in that case was to get out (of the car),” Bowman said. The Arizona native said that during the road course event at COTA he became dizzy, everything was spinning and he was throwing up on himself. Since then, he has spent a great deal of time with numerous doctors and worked through a multitude of things as part of his recovery. He said he was “just trying to get back to feeling well enough to do life.” “The boss flew me around to different places that I needed to be, and all the things that we needed to do to get me the best help that we could get, and now I’m feeling really good,” Bowman said. “I’m thankful to be back feeling well. Thankful that I get another shot at it.”

Welcome back! @Alex\_Bowman has been medically cleared and will race this weekend at Bristol.

"I feel really good, and I’m excited about being at the track with my team and getting back to racing.”pic.twitter.com/Hpg2aA1bFK

— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) April 9, 2026 Bowman steps back into his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for Bristol Motor Speedway’s Food City 500 at a high-banked half-mile track that constantly produces some of the highest *g* forces in the sport. Many have questioned why Bowman chose to return at Bristol instead of waiting a week for the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. Bowman’s reason is simple—“They said I could.” “I’m a race car driver, so you tell me I’m clear, and I’m going to go do it,” Bowman said. “Yeah, it’s probably the worst place possible to come back to. I think not just because it’s physical, but it’s a track that is extremely difficult. The margins from the front to the back of the field are tiny. You look at qualifying here, and every hundredth is multiple spots for the most part. I haven’t qualified a car in a month.” Bristol has always been a good track for Bowman. In 17 starts, he’s earned two poles, three top-five and six top-10 finishes. He’s failed to finish only three races. In the last four Bristol races, Bowman has produced three top-10 finishes, but he knows that’s not a reasonable expectation in Sunday’s Food City 500. He said he would be happy if he recorded a top 15. “I’ve put HMS in a tough spot multiple times now in the last five years,” Bowman said. “They’ve probably given me more grace at times than I deserved. So, I’m super thankful for that.”