"The Showman"
It's a nickname that's resurfaced recently for Tucson's Alex Bowman. While it rhymes with his last name, it doesn't necessarily reflect his overly humble personality, and it's not one he particularly likes.
And after winning the Daytona 500 pole on Sunday, Bowman said he won't be wearing any "The Showman" t-shirts.
"I think it has kind of stuck at this point," Bowman told KGUN9-TV via satellite from Daytona International Speedway. "I don't know who came up with it, but I don't think I'm getting rid of it anytime soon."
Bowman may not be showman, but he was a showstopper this past Sunday. His time around Daytona International Speedway of just over 46 seconds means he'll lead the field to the green flag at The Great American Race.
"You know, our Nationwide Camaro ZL1 has been great since we unloaded,” the Ironwood Ridge graduate said. “All the guys back at the chassis shop, the body shop, the Hendrick engine shop – they all work so hard."
Now that his front row position is set, Bowman can now use Thursday's qualifying race to see how his car does in the draft.
"The duels and final practice will be very important to us to get our car back to race trim and driving well. I think handling will mean more than it has in the past."
The challenge for Bowman will also be to keep the car in one piece. A wrecked car in his Thursday race would mean he would need a backup car on Sunday.
He wants top performances to stay with him, just not nicknames.
