After Career-Shortening Injury Scare, Alex Bowman Pushes Sprint Car Prodigy to Chili Bowl Limelight

The NASCAR 2024 season might have concluded, but the drivers within the garage are keeping themselves busy. This is the time of the year when they try to get their hands on different race cars and experiences as opposed to a typical NASCAR weekend. Dirt racing is something that most drivers prioritize in the off-season, and that seems to be the plan for Alex Bowman and his team as well.

But the Hendrick Motorsports driver isn’t going to hop inside a race car himself. Rather, he will be the one calling the shots for his team, Alex Bowman Racing, after fielding three entries for the Chili Bowl Nationals 2024 has expanded to a four-car entry for 2025. Bowman has made a new addition to the team; Briggs Danner will be the one leading the charge for the fourth entry at the historic midget race event at SageNet Center.

Briggs Danner will have a bug breakthrough with ABR at the Chili Bowl Nationals

While most of the NASCAR teams are reluctant for their drivers to participate in other forms of racing, HMS is an exception. Ever since Kyle Larson came into the team, Mr. H has allowed his drivers to compete in non-NASCAR races. Like Larson, Bowman is an avid sprint car racer and tried to make the most of this opportunity by expanding his racing schedule in 2023.

However, early in the season, while competing in the High Limit Sprint Car Series race, Bowman suffered a fractured vertebra. This injury proved detrimental to his Cup Series racing, as he missed three crucial races and ultimately failed to qualify for the playoffs. Ever since then, he’s scaled back on his racing stints and allowed his team to be at the forefront.

Experienced drivers like C.J. Leary, Jake Swanson, and Kevin Thomas Jr. have all been featured in the A-Main races at Chili Bowl. But this year, they will be joined by a talented driver, Briggs Danner, who is fresh from his three race wins in the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars. Alex Bowman knows he’s got a good mix of seasoned drivers along with an exciting prospect in Danner, and this year he focused on getting the most out of his drivers.

“CJ’s kind of been the base of the program. Obviously I grew up racing with Jake, known KTJ a long time, and excited to work with Briggs too. I think this year for me its about trimming the fat, like I’ve had a lot of hands on the cars throughout the week and a lot of friends there. It’s been a giant party, and we’ve done things like leave batteries unplugged and make super mistakes. So, I’m taking like three people, and everybody’s going to have a real job and be organized.” Bowman said this while speaking to Fronstretch.

Well, given the change in dynamics at JGR and with Kyle Busch slated on for his debut run, there could be many familiar NASCAR faces at the Chili Bowl Nationals this time around.

NASCAR drivers that could line up for the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals

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Like Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell is a huge dirt racing fan; he is a three-time Chili Bowl National winner, but unlike Larson, he wasn’t allowed to compete in non-NASCAR races. However, with a fellow dirt racer, Chase Briscoe, joining the ranks, the dynamics seem to have changed within the JGR camp, and Coach seems to be willing to allow his drivers to get more seat time in different disciplines of racing.

C. Bell was almost shocked to see a change in policy at JGR that would allow him to go dirt racing. “I was super shocked, but with Chase coming on board and Ty growing an interest in dirt racing, it’s nice we have the majority of our team aligned with it now.” Interesting that Ty Gibbs is also now headed the dirt route which means other than Denny Hamlin, all three JGR drivers could turn up at Chili Bowl Nationals.

Not to forget, Kyle Busch has also signed up to compete at the historic midget race. The other Kyle, Kyle Larson, is also in the picture. While he already has a packed schedule for the off-season with an international trip to Australia, he might make a last-minute entry. Imagine 4-5 NASCAR Cup Series drivers competing at the Chili Bowl Nationals. It would certainly bring more energy and excitement to an already hyped event.