Alex Bowman 2019 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
Alex Bowman
Points Finish 16th, 0 Wins, 3 Top Fives, 11 Top Tens, 26 Top Twenties, 17.0 Average Finish, 15.9 Average Running Position, 71 Laps Led, 77.6 Driver Rating
Strengths:
Alex Bowman is a steady driver who\’s capable of coming home with a respectable result on every track type.
In 2019 I would look for him to be at his best at short tracks, shorter flat tracks, plate tracks and road courses.
Weaknesses:
Alex Bowman isn\’t a bad driver at intermediate tracks, but I wish he was slightly more competitive. They comprise nearly half the schedule and he\’s a low-double digits to mid-teens driver. That\’s respectable, but he really needs to become more of a consistent top ten threat.
Intermediate Track Fantasy Value – B+
Alex Bowman is a quality option at intermediate tracks. Last year his stats on this track type weren\’t that impressive, but you could typically count on him being a low-double digits to mid-teens driver in incident free races.
He lacked consistency which really torpedoed some of his stats, but in year #2 at Hendrick Motorsports I think he\’ll improve. He\’ll have a year under his belt in competitive equipment and I think the new rules package will be friendly for him. I think it will bring the high-line and drafting into play more which are both strengths for him. I also think Hendrick Motorsports will be more competitive as an organization.
This upcoming season at intermediate tracks I would look for Bowman to typically be a low-double digits driver to mid-teens driver. That said, he\’ll also get a handful of top tens.
Flat Track Fantasy Value – B
Consistency was a problem for Alex Bowman at flat tracks in 2018, but he did show potential. Last year over the 8 races held on this track type he had four results in the top 13, and his other four results were 18th or worse (3 of them 27th or worse).
Last year at the smaller flat tracks over the five races he had three results between 11th and 13th. In the other two races he had results of 18th and 30th. I\’ll note in his 30th place finish at Phoenix in the fall he was running in the top ten until he was caught up in a late multi-car wreck.
In 2019 in incident free races at shorter flat tracks I think he has a great chance to once again be a low-double digits driver who\’ll compete for top tens.
Last year at the bigger flat tracks he had problems in two of the three races. In his one incident free race he finished 3rd at Pocono in July. In the June Pocono race he ran well but his race wasn\’t incident free which led to his asterisk mark 27th place finish. With 14 laps to go while he was battling Denny Hamlin for 11th they had contact and he got a good amount of damage which ruined his afternoon. At Indy he had problems and finished many laps down in 33rd.
Short Track Fantasy Value – B+
Alex Bowman is a driver on the rise at short tracks. At all three short tracks he has the potential to come home with a good finish. Last season over the six combined races on this track type he had a 14.0 average finish and a 14.5 average running position.
At short tracks I like him the most at Bristol. The high-line comes into play there and running that groove is a strength for Bowman. In 2018 he swept the top ten with results of 5th and 8th.
At Martinsville he showed potential last season. He finished 7th in the spring but didn\’t back it up in the fall and finished 17th. As he gains more seat time in his competitive situation he\’ll only get better.
At Richmond last year he finished 18th in the spring, but improved in the fall and finished 12th.
In 2019 at short tracks I would look for Bowman to typically be a low-double digits driver who\’ll come home with a few top tens.
Plate Track Fantasy Value – B+
Alex Bowman is a quality restrictor plate racer. Last year at both venues he was able to come home with a top ten. In 2019 at plate tracks I think he has a great chance to compete for a top ten in all four races on this track type. He\’ll have the advantage of more seat time and the respect of his peers which both go a long way.
Last year at Daytona he finished 17th in the Daytona 500 and 10th in July. I\’ll note in the Daytona 500 he was involved in the \”Big One\” with two laps to go. Prior to wrecking he was running in 8th.
At Talladega he finished 8th in the spring and then 33rd in the fall (had problems).
Road Course Fantasy Value – B+
Alex Bowman is a capable road course racer who\’ll sneak up on people. Last year on this track type he had a 9.0 average finish and had a result in the top 14 every race. In 2019 I think he\’s capable of having another quality season. Hendrick Motorsports builds good cars for this track type and over long runs they often rank among the best.
Last year at road courses he had results of 4th (Charlotte), 9th (Sonoma) and 14th (Watkins Glen).
