NASCAR Star Alex Bowman out Several Weeks after Nasty Sprint Car Crash

Hendrick Motorsports wheelman and rising star in the NASCAR Cup Series Alex Bowman will be sidelined between three to four weeks as he recovers from a broken vertebra he sustained in a scary sprint car crash Tuesday night at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, according to NASCAR.com. Coming into a turn in heat one, Bowman’s vehicle became entangled with that of his competitor Connor Morell. After their wheels made contact, Bowman’s tire slid under Morell’s vehicle, launching the No. 2 into an aerial somersault before tumbling down the track. Footage from the FloRacing video captured the frightening series of impacts as they occurred in real time. Despite the relentless pounding his vehicle took on the dirt track, Bowman, who was racing in the purple vehicle while Morrell was in red, was able to exit his vehicle and walk away on his power.

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"First, I want to let everyone know I'm feeling ok," he tweeted Wednesday. "My focus is now on healing and resting. Being out of the car is never an update any driver wants to make. I'm thankful to Josh Berry and Hendrick Motorsports for stepping up to the plate, and I know the entire Ally Racing team will give it their all these next few weeks.”

Doctors treated the 30-year-old Bowman for what they described as a compression fracture, according to the Washington Post. While the injury can be quite painful, Bowman remains in good spirits.

"I'll be doing everything I can at home to help the team and ensure my recovery is as quick as possible to get back in the 48 car soon," Bowman wrote.

While Bowman is lucky that the accident that sent him flipping through the air wasn’t more severe, time out of the cockpit is never good for a driver flirting with the potential to make the playoffs. Now in his sixth season in the Cup Series after replacing the legendary Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2017, Bowman got off to a sensational start this year, turning in six top-10 finishes that included three top-five finishes and one pole. With a total of 270 points, Bowman currently resides in ninth place in the Cup Series. As was the case for Chase Elliott who suffered a broken leg in a snowboarding accident, Hendrick Motorsports announced that the stock car racing juggernaut would seek a medical waiver so Bowman would retain his eligibility for the postseason playoffs.

"We’re relieved Alex is home, in good spirits and getting world-class treatment," stated Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Giving him ample time and the foremost resources to heal is our top priority. He’s having a tremendous season, and the No. 48 is at the top of its game. We know what Josh is capable of in the race car. and that Blake [Harris, crew chief] and the team will continue operating at a high level until Alex is ready to return. He has our full, unequivocal support."