Alex Bowman Gets New Pit Crew; Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin Earn Top NASCAR Cup Series Drivers’ Championship Odds

Hendrick Motorsports is making NASCAR Cup Series playoff changes to the No. 48 Chevrolet pit crew.  

Four members of the No. 71 Chevrolet team have been transferred to Alex Bowman’s squad, effective immediately. Bowman’s new pit crew will start during this weekend’s event at Bristol Motor Speedway. Bowman enters the Round of 16 finale ranked No. 15, 35 points below the cutoff line.   

The personnel decision developed after consecutive postseason pit-stop gaffes, including a 40-second stop that dropped in off the lead at Darlington two weeks ago. Last Sunday at Gateway, a delay because of a loose left-rear wheel caused Bowman to fall from P7 to P30.  

Bowman pit crew this weekend includes Daniel Bach (front changer), Rod Cox (rear changer), Jarius Morehead (tire carrier), Cody French (jack) and Jacob Conley (fueler). Conley is the lone holdover. 

“It was just really poor execution on all angles today,” Bowman said, as reported by NASCAR.com. “It was a bummer.” 

Bowman’s teammate, Kyle Larson, the 2021 series champion, and Denny Hamlin, last Sunday’s winner at Gateway, enter the weekend favored to capture the circuit championship with +425 odds, according to BetOnline Sportsbook. 

Another disaster of a pit stop for Alex Bowman's crew. Looked like they dropped the jack before the left rear tire was fully on. pic.twitter.com/yl66QaUuyK

— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) September 7, 2025

2025 NASCAR Cup Series Drivers’ Championship Odds

Here is a Week 29 look at the drivers’ odds for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series drivers’ championship, according to BetOnline Sportsbook: 

*-Odds current at time of publication