My whole life has been about racing.
I’ve worked really hard to make it as a race car driver; from building and taking care of my own cars to staying up until 2 a.m. to finish a car for a race the next day. Throughout my early career, I would tell myself if I just keep winning races, I’ll get there. I’ll make it as a race car driver. When I won in ARCA, it got me an Xfinity ride. That was a start.
Then it kind of stalled out from there.
Those rough years made me grow up — not that I’ve grown all the way up; I’m still an immature, fun-loving little kid at heart. But it humbled me because I’ve been on both sides of the sport, from the smaller teams to one of the sport’s most dominant. If you told me three years ago where I’d be today, I don’t think I would have believed you.
I never thought I would be driving the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.
• • •
There’s nothing like finding out you’ve lost your ride with a quick refresh of Twitter.
On Jan. 20, 2016, I had a job driving in the Cup Series. And the very next day, it was gone. My life changed big time that day – while I didn’t know it at the time, it would also become a turning point in my career.
Even though it was hard going to the track knowing that no matter how hard the team worked we would probably run 30th that day — losing what I did have was a whole different deal. Because then I realized I couldn’t even pay my bills. Would I have to sell my stuff to pay rent next month? I wasn’t sure of anything.
As much as driving for smaller teams humbled me, the realization that now I could have nothing was the most humbling thing of all. As weird as it sounds, getting fired was probably the best thing that ever happened to me; it’s the reason that I ended up taking a job driving the simulator every day then got my foot in the door at Hendrick Motorsports as a fill-in driver in 2016 for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
If I wouldn’t have lost my ride, somebody else would have filled in for Dale and there’s no way I would have been picked to drive the 88 car after he retired. Who knows where I would be now?
• • •
I remember getting the call from Mr. H that changed my life.
I was on lunch break from driving the simulator — where I spent a good deal of my time — sitting by myself at a grocery store eating lunch out of the deli. During the call, he told me he wanted me to drive the No. 88 on a permanent basis. I can’t describe what it felt like to hear that from the boss.
What Dale has done on the racetrack and for the sport as a whole is incredible. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him — he’s been a great friend and mentor. When he was out in 2016, he could have recommended anybody to go fill in for him. For him to pick me meant a lot.
I know that I can’t be Dale Jr., and I won’t even try, but I hope to do him — and all the No. 88 fans — proud. The best way to do that is to win.
• • •
The Daytona 500 is one of the sport’s biggest races and I can’t wait to see our Camaro ZL1 in action.
Having a chance to win that race is huge. Hendrick Motorsports’ speedway stuff is so good; so good that it got us on the pole. It’s pretty surreal to think about ‘Alex Bowman’ being above the door of one of the best restrictor plate cars in recent years.
Hopefully we’ll have a lot of 88 fans up on their feet, cheering. That goes for Daytona and all season long — I’m going to drive the wheels off the thing and try to win some races. It’s all I really care to do.
Tim Richmond is one of my racing heroes. Mr. Hendrick told me I remind him of Tim because he had no fear in the race car and drove the wheels off it every lap. That’s how I am, too. If I tear stuff up, I tear stuff up. But I’m just going to drive the heck out of it trying to win races.
When I don’t win, it eats at me. I think about last year’s Phoenix race for about two hours of my 24-hour day every day. It keeps me up at night that we were so close and came up short. It motivates me to finish the job.
I’m hoping to get rid of the “almost” this year; I want to knock off wins and compete for championships. If I don’t do that, I probably don’t deserve to be in the 88 car.
It’s what I need to go do — and I’m ready.