Bowman reveals special Nationwide Children’s Hospital scheme for Watkins Glen

Alex Bowman unveiled a special paint scheme featuring Nationwide Children's Hospital on Wednesday via "NASCAR America" from the Hendrick Motorsports campus in Concord, North Carolina. [caption id="attachment_130401" align="alignleft" width="450"]Photo credit: Hendrick Motorsports[/caption] The 25-year-old driver will run the scheme at Watkins Glen International on Aug. 5. Nationwide, a longtime partner of Hendrick Motorsports, donated the scheme to the hospital, using its signature butterflies in the design. The goal behind the scheme was to drive awareness, bring recognition and raise funds for the hospital, which Nationwide has supported for 60 years.  Nationwide's sports platforms have raised more than $27 million for the children's facility since 2011. Ashzyia Jackson, a patient at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, was on hand for the unveiling with Bowman. Fellow Patient Champion Bicen Thall will attend the race at Watkins Glen, and his name will be featured above the door of the special No. 88 Chevrolet. [caption id="attachment_130400" align="alignright" width="400"]Jackson with Bowman (Photo credit: Hendrick Motorsports)[/caption] While this marks his first year piloting the No. 88 full time, Bowman was the first driver to pilot a Nationwide Children's Hospital scheme as it adorned his No. 99 Xfinity Series ride at Mid-Ohio in 2013. He has since visited the hospital twice and is expected to go again before the scheme's debut at The Glen. The No. 88 team has a longstanding relationship with the hospital, extending back to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s tenure behind the wheel. Earnhardt made several visits to the hospital over the years, and piloted special schemes honoring the hospital throughout the final years of his racing career. The Dale & Amy Earnhardt room was dedicated to the driver and his wife in 2016, and the couple established the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund a year later as a way for Earnhardt to continue his work with the hospital after his retirement. RELATED: Dale Jr. finds, gives comfort at NCH | Dale, Amy establish hospital fund To learn more about the hospital, please visit: www.nationwidechildrens.org.