Alex Bowman's points situation with 16 races left before 2026 Chase

Alex Bowman is back in the NASCAR Cup Series, and Talladega Superspeedway treated him well. Bowman finished in third place at Talladega, earning his first top-15 finish of the 2026 Cup Series season. However, does the Hendrick Motorsports driver have a chance at making the Chase?

It seems like a long shot. Bowman currently sits 36th in the point standings with a 146-point deficit to the Chase bubble. With 16 races left in the 2026 Cup Series regular season, Bowman would have to gain nearly 9.

2 points per race to make up the ground. Meanwhile, the No. 48 car sits 102 points behind 16th place in the owner's standings.

The hope is that Bowman can finish out the season in the No. 48 car without any issues; however, the Chase doesn't feel like a realistic possibility. There is a chance that Bowman could bring the No.