Hendrick Motorsports has announced a Carson Hocevar pit crew swap to help Alex Bowman’s team as he approaches the crucial cutoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Bowman trails the playoff cutline by 35 points and needs a strong finish to move forward. This decision comes after a series of pit road mishaps hindered Bowman’s playoff campaign, prompting immediate crew changes.
Bowman’s Playoff Struggles and Pit Road Setbacks
Alex Bowman enters Bristol Motor Speedway facing a significant challenge, sitting well below the points required to advance in the playoff standings. In the opening playoff races, Bowman’s performance has been hampered not just by speed on the track, but also by issues on pit road. At the Southern 500 in Darlington Raceway, a prolonged 40-second pit stop left Bowman two laps behind. Another problematic stop occurred at Gateway after his car slipped off the jack, compounding the team’s on-track struggles.
Details of the Pit Crew Swap
To address these setbacks, Hendrick Motorsports has executed a mid-season pit crew swap. The organization decided to restructure the No. 48 crew by bringing in four members from Carson Hocevar‘s No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. The new additions are Daniek Bach (front tire changer), Rod Cox (rear tire changer), Cody French (jackman), and Jarius Morehead (tire carrier), who will join Bowman’s team immediately for the Bristol race. This strategic reshuffling affects the front and rear tire changers, jackman, and tire carrier positions.
History of Collaboration between HMS and Spire Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports and Spire Motorsports maintain a strong technical partnership, which has enabled seamless movement of pit crew members between their respective teams throughout the season. Earlier in the year, a similar adjustment saw the rear tire changer from Justin Haley‘s No. 7 car at Spire transition to Chase Elliott‘s No. 9 car at Hendrick.
Performance Gap Between the Two Crews
Motorsport.com contributor Bozi Tatarevic highlighted the performance discrepancy between the two pit crews, noting that Hocevar’s group ranked third-best at Gateway, while Bowman’s crew placed twenty-eighth. Such a difference in rankings underscores the urgency for improvement in Bowman’s pit operations during this critical playoff phase.
Other Recent Pit Crew Movements in the Playoffs
This move is part of a broader trend among playoff teams making tactical crew changes to enhance performance. For instance, Trackhouse Racing recently shifted jackman Josh Appleby from Daniel Suarez‘s team to work with Ross Chastain’s No. 1 car, reflecting a common strategy as teams look to maximize every advantage during the high-stakes playoff races.
If this pit crew swap yields quicker stops for Bowman, it could play a decisive role in keeping his playoff hopes alive as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway. With proven performers joining his team, Bowman has an opportunity to overcome recent missteps on pit road and stay in championship contention.
