Story By: KELSEY TUCKER / HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS – CONCORD, NC – Although Alex Bowman and the No. 88 team did not advance to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4, they had an impressive playoff run that concluded Sunday at Martinsville Speedway with a sixth-place finish.
The 27-year-old driver earned the second-most points (337) through nine playoff races, behind only teammate Chase Elliott (364). He also had the best average finish in the playoffs at 8.0, and his seven top-10 results in the playoffs are tied for the most with Kyle Busch.
CAREER YEAR: The 2020 season has been a personal best for Bowman and the No. 88 team. The Tucson, Arizona, native has one win, six top-five finishes, 15 top-10s and has led 440 laps in 35 events.
Bowman has recorded more top-10s and laps led this year than ever in his career, securing a spot in the playoffs Round of 8 for the first time in his six seasons at the Cup level. Bowman has finished inside the top 10 in nine of the last 11 races, a personal best.
In the playoffs, he led laps in five of the nine races.
WELCOME HOME: Bowman has 10 NASCAR Cup Series starts at his home track of Phoenix Raceway. His best finish of sixth came in the 2016 event when the No. 88 team started from the pole position and led a race-high 194 laps.
His average running position during that event was 1.9 with 272 laps running inside the top two.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver has six starts at the 1-mile oval in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Bowman’s best qualifying effort of fifth came in 2014 and 2017. In the fall event in 2017, he claimed his best finishing position of eighth.
In 2011, Bowman ran the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West event at Phoenix Raceway where he started ninth and led 23 laps en route to a second-place finish.
IVES IN PHOENIX: For the 12th time in his crew chief career in the NASCAR Cup Series, Greg Ives will call the shots for the No. 88 team this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
The Bark River, Michigan, native claimed the victory in the 2015 fall event at the track with Dale Earnhardt Jr. after leading 22 laps.
Ives led Bowman to a pole win at the track in 2016 and the No. 88 Chevrolet led 194 laps en route to a sixth-place finish. Ives has four starts at the venue as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a best finish of fourth place coming in 2013 with driver Regan Smith.
From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. During that time, he was part of four wins, one pole award and 11 top-five finishes at Phoenix Raceway.
FINAL TIME FOR NO. 88: For the final time, the No. 88 Chevrolet will be on track this weekend with Bowman at the wheel.
With the car number, the driver has two wins, 117 starts, 16 top-five finishes, 41 top-10s, two pole awards and has led 911 laps for Hendrick Motorsports. Ives has been with the No. 88 for six years and has accumulated five wins, 38 top-five results, 79 top-10s, four pole awards and 1,292 laps led in that span with three different drivers.
The pair will move to the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team in 2021.
WE GOT THE GOODS: The black and yellow ChevyGoods.com paint scheme featuring Truck Hero will be on board Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE during Sunday’s event at Phoenix Raceway.
In January, Hendrick Motorsports announced its partnership with ChevyGoods.com, which includes primary sponsorship of Bowman for 26 events. Associate brands that were featured throughout 2020 are Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero.
NEW DISCOUNTS: During the month of November, No. 88 team sponsor ChevyGoods.com is providing discounts on various accessories on its website.
For the “Buy More, Get More” sale, customers can get 15% off (CHEVYGOODS15) with a purchase of $100-$249, 20% off (CHEVYGOODS20) with a purchase of $250-$499 and 25% off (CHEVYGOODS25) when customers spend $500 or more.
