Alex Bowman 2022 season in review

Editor’s note: This continues the series of season reviews for select 2022 NASCAR Cup Series drivers. See more: Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suárez, Chris Buescher, Chase Briscoe Driver: Alex Bowman Car: No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Crew chief: Greg Ives Final 2022 ranking: 16^th Key stats: 1 win, 4 top fives, 12 top 10s, 137 laps led How 2022 ended: Despite qualifying for his fifth consecutive playoff run, Bowman missed five races because of concussion-like symptoms. However, the Arizona native was able to return in time for the Phoenix season finale, where he finished 34^th.  It marked the last race he and Greg Ives were paired together after the veteran crew chief announced earlier in the season that he was stepping aside from the high-travel, high-stress crew chief duties to decrease time on the road and increase time with his young family. Best race: Throughout his NASCAR Cup Series career, Bowman has shown a certain penchant to “be there at the end.” It resulted in a career-high four victories in 2021, and the ability to be there in the clutch was also the case for Bowman in 2022. His lone win of the year came at the series’ first Las Vegas stop in March – marking the new car’s debut on a 1.5-mile oval. Bowman led the race three times – and was out front the final three laps to earn his first win at the Vegas oval. RELATED: Alex Bowman holds off Larson with overtime surge for Las Vegas win Stat to know: Bowman’s early season run was so solid this year that he nearly matched his career-best statistical showings in several categories – despite missing five races. His four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes either tied or bettered two other previous seasons in his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. His spring victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marked the fourth straight year the 29-year-old has hoisted a trophy. And Bowman can now claim he has earned a playoff berth in each of the last five seasons. Quotable: “New perspective. I’m as excited to work with Blake [Harris] as I am to see the future for Greg [Ives] and what he’s going to do and how much more time he can spend with his family. I’m looking forward to the future. Blake has been awesome to work with so far. Obviously, without getting on the race track it’s hard to say, but I’m really excited about it.’’ RELATED: Blake Harris named crew chief for Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet for 2023  Looking ahead: The change in leadership for Bowman’s team will undoubtedly be significant going forward, but new crew chief Blake Harris brings a promising record and championship experience with him to Hendrick Motorsports. In his first year as a crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series this season, he led Michael McDowell to a career-high in top-10 finishes (12). Harris was additionally car chief on Martin Truex Jr.’s 2017 dominant championship season with Furniture Row Racing. Expectations remain high, and both Bowman and Harris are eager to team up on the No. 48 team which boasts a current four-year streak of winning at least one race and competing for the championship.