CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Alex Bowman will officially miss the next round of the NASCAR playoffs after a weight infraction disqualified his finish at the Charlotte Roval on Sunday.
Hendrick Motorsports announced on Monday that the team will not appeal NASCAR's decision to disqualify the No. 48 Chevrolet after the race. Bowman's car did not meet the minimum weight requirement, according to NASCAR.
"Although unintentional, the infraction was avoidable," Hendrick Motorsports said in a statement. "We are extremely disappointed to lose a playoff spot under these circumstances and apologize to our fans and partners."
Bowman finished 18th and won the second stage of the race, which would have earned him enough points to advance to the Round of 8. However, the disqualification knocks Bowman out of the next round. Joey Logano takes Bowman's spot.
The other three Hendrick Motorsports teams advanced to the Round of 8, leaving Bowman in a lonely spot in the garage as his teammates Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron contend for a championship.
Bowman entered the Charlotte Roval race a solid 26 points ahead of the cutline and seemed all but assured of reaching the next round.
"We gave them every opportunity to make minimum weight," Brad Moran, managing director of the NASCAR Cup Series. "We ran them back through. Unfortunately, they were light again. They are allowed a 0.5% weight break, which is for usage of fluids and so on. That’s about 17 pounds."
NASCAR officials did not say how underweight Bowman's car was after the race.
The NASCAR Cup Series is next in action on Oct. 20 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
