RELATED: Michigan results
The Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet team encountered early trouble Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, going to the garage with engine issues that would ruin any chance at victory.
Alex Bowman, subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. this weekend as he recovers from concussion-related symptoms, radioed his crew just short of the 50-lap mark of the Pure Michigan 400 to report a sour engine. Bowman -- who started sixth in the 40-car field -- steadily lost ground, eventually falling off the lead lap on the 54th of 200 laps.
Bowman made the hard turn toward the garage for repairs, returning to the race five laps down. Crew chief Greg Ives told Bowman that the malady was "just a wire," and the car returned to a competitive pace despite the deficit.
Bowman finished 30th, five laps down.
Bowman -- a NASCAR XFINITY Series regular for JR Motorsports -- made his second fill-in start for Earnhardt, who has missed the last six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
Jeff Gordon, an Earnhardt substitute for four races this season, will return to the wheel of the No. 88 for this weekend's Bojangles' Southern 500 (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) at Darlington Raceway. Gordon, a four-time premier series champ who emerged from retirement to fill in, is a seven-time winner at the historic 1.366-mile track.
The Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 will carry a "Gray Ghost" throwback paint scheme at Darlington in a tribute to NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Buddy Baker.