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SPORTS Tuesday 9 July 2024
A15

Alex Bowman quiets Hendrick speculation with his Cup win on a

rainy Chicago street course

By JAY COHEN Chicagoland Speedway in
AP Sports Writer 2019. The Arizona native won
CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Bow- again at Fontana in 2020,
man spent his 30th birthday and then earned a career-
in an Iowa hospital after best four wins during a break-
breaking his back in a short- out performance in 2021.
track accident. Feeling as if But everything changed af-
he had let everyone down, ter he won at Las Vegas in
it was a tough moment. March 2022. That same year,
That was just last year, and it he was sidelined for five rac-
seemed like a long time ago es after he sustained a con-
Sunday night. cussion in a crash at Texas
Bowman is a NASCAR Cup Motor Speedway. Then he
Series winner once again af- had the back injury last year
ter he held off Tyler Reddick that kept him out for three
in a shortened Grant Park 165 points races and the All-Star
on a rainy street course in festivities. “The concussion
downtown Chicago. It was and then to straight away
his first victory since March go break my back after re-
2022 in Las Vegas, stopping covering from that and then
an 80-race drought. to just tremendously struggle
“There’s a lot of emotions through last year and kind
that go away with this be- of lose our way a little bit, it
cause of how hard that has Alex Bowman gets out of his car after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 7, was really difficult,” he said.
been,” Bowman said. 2024, in Chicago. Associated Press Coming into Chicago, there
With his eighth career Cup was no sign that Bowman’s
Series win, Bowman became ishes this year, but his win- have won, to be in that same said. “But certainly nobody drought was about to end.
the last of the four Hendrick less drought had ramped up category, and it hasn’t been has made me feel like I’m on He had an engine issue at
Motorsports drivers to secure speculation about his future happening. Hopefully this dis- the hot seat. There’s never New Hampshire that end-
a playoff spot. He is the 12th at Hendrick. That all seemed pels a lot of the rumors.” been a single conversation ed his day on the 144th of
Cup driver to win this year, to go away this weekend. Bowman’s contract with with a single person that has 305 laps. He finished 14th at
leaving four remaining slots “I understand why people Hendrick runs through the questioned anything to do Nashville Superspeedway
in the playoffs with six races want to talk. ... It’s a tough 2026 season. He made it with that at all. It’s all been, last weekend.
left in the regular season. business,” said NASCAR Hall clear that he felt the specu- what do you need, how can “I think the speed has been
It also was the first Cup win for of Famer Jeff Gordon, a lation about his future was we help you, how can we there,” Harris said. “We talk-
Blake Harris, who took over as Hendrick executive. “When overblown, but he definitely support the team.” ed, we had an engine failure
Bowman’s crew chief before you’re at Hendrick Motors- heard the talk. Bowman is in his seventh full at Loudon and we had an
the 2023 season. ports, you do expect, espe- “I think you need to win races season at Hendrick. He got engine failure here last year
Bowman has 11 top-10 fin- cially when the other three whenever you’re at HMS,” he his first Cup Series victory at at Chicago. q

Pete Alonso to compete in Home Run Derby for 5th time, joins Witt,

Henderson, Bohm in July 15 field

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pete has donated portions of Vladimir Guerrero 23-22 and the fans are there to doing it because growing
Alonso will participate in his his previous derby prizes to in the final round, then re- see the same thing,” Alonso up watching it, was like ‘If I
fifth straight Home Run Der- the Wounded Warrior Proj- peated in 2021 at Denver’s said. “I think the cool part have an opportunity to do
by, with the New York Mets ect aiding wounded ser- Coors Field, beating Balti- of our game is seeing balls it, I will.’ Taking me back to
first baseman trying to win vice members and Tunnel more’s Trey Mancini by the hit far and hard. I think it’s 7-year-old me, it’s a dream
for the third time. to Towers, which supports same score. There was no a great event. I really like come true.”q
Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr., first responders and their derby in 2020 because of
Baltimore’s Gunnar Hen- families. “It’s something I’m the coronavirus pandemic.
derson and Philadelphia’s very excited about and I’m Alonso was eliminated by
Alec Bohm also have com- happy they asked me be- Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez
mitted to the July 15 event cause it’s an opportunity to in the 2022 semifinals at
at Globe Life Field in Arling- give back to the game,” Dodger Stadium in Los An-
ton, Texas. Alonso said. “I want to in- geles. Juan Soto, then of
Alonso made the an- spire the youth, get more Washington, went on to
nouncement Sunday night kids out there playing base- win.
on Instagram. ball across the U.S.” Alonso was knocked out
Alonso talked about it Ken Griffey Jr. is the only 41-21 by Rodríguez last
more in-depth Monday three-time champion of year at Seattle’s T-Mobile
before the Mets played the derby, which started in Park, where Guerrero took
the Pirates in Pittsburgh. He 1985, winning in 1994, 1998 the title and joined Vladi-
said he wants to use what- and 1999. mir Guerrero Sr. (2007) to
ever winnings he earns to Alonso won the competi- become the first father-
refurbish amateur baseball tion in 2019 as a rookie at son duo to accomplish the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso hits a home run during the sixth
inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday,
fields through his chari- Cleveland’s Progressive feat. “I love participating June 28, 2024, in New York.
table foundation. Alonso Field, edging Toronto’s because it’s a full stadium Associated Press