Bowman secures a place in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a win on a rainy street circuit in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Bowman finally has a win. And a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

So yes, he was ready to celebrate.

“We’re going to drink so much damn bourbon tonight, it’s going to be a bad deal,” said a jubilant Bowman. “I’m probably going to wake up naked on the bathroom floor again. That’s just part of the deal sometimes.”

Bowman defeated Tyler Reddick on a rainy street course in downtown Chicago on Sunday, ending an 80-race winless streak.

It was his first win since Las Vegas in March 2022 and the eighth of his career. He is the 12th Cup Series driver to win this year and has four playoff spots open with six races remaining in the regular season.

After his victory in Vegas two years ago, the 31-year-old Bowman had to take a break due to a concussion. He injured his back in a short track accident in April 2023.

“You start to wonder if you’ll ever get the chance to win a race again,” he said.

No longer.

The second Cup Series road course race in Chicago was stopped for more than 100 minutes due to rain, and NASCAR set a cutoff time of 8:20 p.m. CDT because of fading sunlight. When Bowman crossed the start-finish line after that time, the white flag was waved, followed by the checkered flag.

Reddick made a late charge, but as he tried to catch Bowman, he hit a wall. Ty Gibbs finished third, followed by Joey Hand and Michael McDowell.

“I had a chance to catch him,” Reddick said. “But obviously I didn’t do it. All I had to do was get a clean lap and I didn’t even do that.”

Bowman finished the race in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on rain tires after pole sitters Kyle Larson and Shane van Gisbergen retired.

During the cool down lap, Bowman was pushed into the wall by Bubba Wallace, who had caused Wallace to spin out early in the race.

“I have to apologize again to the 23 guys,” Bowman said. “I just messed up trying to turn on my windshield wipers, missed a turn and ruined their day. I hate that. I’m still embarrassed.”

Larson hit the tire barrier in Turn 6 on Lap 34, bringing out a caution, while attempting to earn his fourth win of the season in his 350th Cup Series start.

“When I hit the brakes, I knew I was in trouble,” said Larson, who is 11 points ahead of Chase Elliott in the drivers’ championship.

Van Gisbergen was clipped by Chase Briscoe at Turn 6 on lap 25. Briscoe slid into a tire barrier, but van Gisbergen crashed into the makeshift wall – severely damaging the right side of his Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

“I just turned around. It looked pretty good and then someone hit me,” said van Gisbergen. “It’s devastating.”

Shortly after the accident, racing was stopped to give NASCAR time to remove standing water from the temporary track. Drivers returned to their cars about an hour later, but the delay continued as another cell of water moved across the track.

When racing resumed, Gibbs was in the lead, followed by Christopher Bell and Larson.

“It’s really fun. It feels like a dirt track to be honest,” Gibbs said of the wet conditions. “Pick your lines and see which track dries and is faster. You have to look around and that’s what makes it so fun because we don’t get to do that very often.”

Van Gisbergen took a career-changing victory in Chicago last year when he became the first driver to win his Cup Series debut since Johnny Rutherford in the second qualifying race at Daytona in 1963. The 35-year-old New Zealand native also won Saturday’s Xfinity Series race on the challenging 2.2-mile, 12-turn track.

Van Gisbergen won the first stage on Sunday, shortly before he retired.

“We were able to take the lead and I felt like I was doing well,” he said. “So, yes, it’s a shame to be out so early. It’s a shame that we couldn’t really attack at the end.”

Bowman’s win ended NASCAR’s second year at the Chicago street circuit. It is expected to return next season, but the future of the weekend – a combination of racing and music aimed at NASCAR newcomers rather than traditional fans – is unclear beyond 2025.

Unlike last year, when persistent rain showers disrupted the schedule — resulting in shortened versions of the Xfinity and Cup Series races — there was no weather concern until the Cup drivers got in their cars and were ordered to start their engines. Then it started raining and teams had to quickly decide whether to switch to rain tires.

After the rain had initially subsided to a drizzle, it increased in intensity after about 17 laps and finally led to the race being abandoned.

Next

The Cup Series takes place next Sunday in Pocono.

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