In contrast to his near-full season of NASCAR Xfinity Series experience before becoming a regular in the Cup Series, Alex Bowman‘s Camping World Truck Series résumé is fairly limited with just one start each in 2015 and 2017. Five years since his last race, he is back in the series as he will run Saturday’s XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas, driving the #7 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Spire Motorsports. HendrickCars.com will sponsor the effort.
Five races into the 2022 Cup season, Bowman is ninth in points with a win at Las Vegas. Although he finished eighth in his COTA début in 2021, he intends to use the Truck start to grow more familiar with the Austin track. In nineteen career Cup road course starts, he has eight top tens, two top fives, and a best run of second at the Charlotte Roval in 2019.
“I’m eager to get back to COTA this weekend and make as many laps as I can,” Bowman commented. “I had a good run in the Ally Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports last year and being able to race Spire Motorsports’ Chevy Silverado this year will be a great help as we get ready for Sunday.
“The more laps, the better at a place like COTA. Spire Motorsports proved at Daytona they build trucks capable of racing at the front of the field so this weekend will be a great opportunity to get some extra seat time and try and race for the win.”
Bowman’s first Truck start came at the 2015 Michigan race for JR Motorsports, where he finished eleventh. Two years later, he raced at Atlanta for GMS Racing and placed sixth.
Spire Motorsports, who fields two full-time Cup cars, opened a part-time Truck programme for 2022. Austin Hill finished fifteenth in the #7’s first race at Daytona.
“Alex is going to be a great help to our team,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “He’s an excellent road racer who works hard at getting even better. Between Alex, (general manager) Mike Greci, and (crew chief) Bono Manion, we’ve got a great shot to put our best foot forward Saturday afternoon. We’re grateful to Mr. (Rick) Hendrick, HendrickCars.com, and Ally for the support this weekend.”
The #7 Silverado will sport a livery resembling the GMAC-sponsored Xfinity car and truck that Hendrick’s late son Ricky piloted during his driving career. The paint scheme is currently used at the Cup level by Bowman’s Hendrick team-mate Kyle Larson.
