Alex Bowman: ‘I’m not really trying to fill Dale’s shoes’

Before he took the track at Watkins Glen, Alex Bowman spoke more about how he’s not trying to do the impossible.

How many NASCAR fans root strictly for the driver and how many support a certain car or team? In his first season with Hendrick Motorsports taking over the No. 88 Chevrolet from Dale Earnhardt Jr., Alex Bowman is learning exactly that as he goes.

Certainly, he inherited some fans willing to give the new driver a chance. Going forward, though, anyone sporting the number and colors at the track is likely to be a legit Alex Bowman fan, particularly since he just signed an extension with HMS in conjunction with Nationwide announcing it was sticking around as sponsor, too.

Flanked by a Nationwide exec prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, Bowman noted how great it would be to be in the same place for more than a year, a luxury he never enjoyed prior to his time with Hendrick. Inevitably, he fielded a question about how he was replacing Earnhardt Jr., and Bowman gave an answer that showed wisdom beyond his 25 years.

“To  be honest with you, I’m not really trying to fill Dale’s shoes,” Bowman said. “Dale’s still around, and he’s not even driving a race car and he’s still more popular than all of us who are driving race cars. I’m just trying to be my own person and do my own thing.”

More from NASCAR

• NASCAR rain delay today, July 2 update: Chicago Street Race
• Where is the NASCAR course in Chicago? A look at how the Grant Park 220 will work
• Grant Park 220 Ticket prices: How much does it cost to attend?
• LAST CHANCE: FanDuel’s Crazy $2,500 Bonus NASCAR Promo Expires Sunday
• Trevor, start your engine: Jaguars’ temporary stadium could be NASCAR mecca

He’s right. No one could fill the popularity void Junior left behind, so it’s best to not even get caught up in that. Perhaps fortunately, Bowman hasn’t been able to worry about that much anyway, since he’s digging every week for points.

Though he called it an “eye-opening experience” for all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers to be so far behind the likes of Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch this season, it’s possible they are gaining momentum at exactly the right time. Bowman turned in a Cup Series career-best third-place finish at Pocono, and he can see a light at the end of what’s been a long tunnel.

There, too, he seemed to have the right perspective.

“Our cars are headed in the right direction, it just takes time,” Bowman said. “While I want to be winning races right now and be locked into the playoffs and all that, the year still hasn’t gone terribly. We’ve been making the most of the situation that we have, and we’re only going to get better from here. It can only go up.”

Bowman can’t be the next Dale Jr., and he’s not even going to attempt it. For the people that decide to ride with him, that sounds exactly right.

“I’m just trying to be my own guy,” Bowman said. “I’m not trying to replace him or be him by any means, just trying to have a lot of fun driving the 88 car and make the most out of the opportunities given to me.”