---
title: "Alex Bowman Needs a Break"
description: "First career pole for today's race should help his 2017 job search."
date: "2016-11-13"
modified: "2016-11-13"
authors:
  - name: "Steve Cole Smith"
    job_title: "Weekend Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/steve-cole-smith"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/5992/alex-bowman-needs-a-break"
categories:
  - "NASCAR"
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
---

# Alex Bowman Needs a Break

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/bowman1_1.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Alex Bowman has done a solid if unspectacular job of filling in for the ailing Dale Earnhardt, Jr., for those races where the un-retired Jeff Gordon wasn’t available.

Assuming Earnhardt is over his concussion issues and comes back in 2017, as he says he will, Bowman will likely be looking for a job. He could use a late-season splash, and he could get that today: He’s on the pole for the Can-AM 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway with a speed of 140.521 mph for his first pole ever in his 80th start.

## Author
The Drive's resident Florida Man, Steve is a veteran motorsports and automotive journalist who's had staff roles and bylines at numerous publications including Autoweek, Automobile, Road & Track, Car and Driver and more. A native of Memphis, he now lives in the Sunshine State with his wife and multiple cats.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/scolesmith>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/scolesmith>)