Confusion Reigns Over Bowman’s Starting Position Before Richmond Race

RICHMOND, Va. — A pre-race radio chat between driver Alex Bowman and his spotter Kevin Hamlin led to confusion for the NBC Sports broadcast team before the Cook Out 400 on Saturday night.

Bowman, who qualified ninth for the race, was jokingly instructed by Hamlin that he needed to drop to the back of the field for “delaying the start.” “Are you kidding me?” Bowman responded, only for Hamlin to clarify, “Yeah, I’m f*cking with you. All good!”

However, the NBC crew either missed this clarification or did not realize it was a joke, leading them to report that Bowman was indeed dropping to the back, causing confusion among fans and viewers alike.

Leigh Diffey, NBC’s play-by-play announcer, later corrected the error as the race was about to start, easing Bowman’s worries about track position, which is critical over the course of 400 miles at Richmond.

Bowman is currently 60 points clear of the playoff cutline, holding the 15th spot out of 16 for the postseason. Though he is still searching for his first win of the season, Bowman is focused on accumulating points as he heads into the important races at Richmond and next week in Daytona.

“You have to expect [a new winner] in the situation that we’re in,” Bowman said during the buildup to the race. “It’s three not-great racetracks for us. We’ve won at Richmond before, but we’ve been extremely hit-or-miss there over the years,” he added, acknowledging the challenges. “Hopefully, we’re on the really good side of that.”

As Bowman prepares for the upcoming pivotal races, the miscommunication serves as a reminder of how crucial accurate broadcast reporting is, especially at this time of the NASCAR season. All eyes now turn to his performance at Daytona and the remaining regular season races ahead.