Alex Bowman wins first career Sprint Cup pole at Phoenix home track

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Alex Bowman picked a pretty good track to win his first career Sprint Cup Series pole.

Bowman, a native of nearby Tucson, took the pole position for Sunday’s race at Phoenix International Raceway — his first No. 1 starting spot in 80 career starts.

The 23-year-old has been subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is out for the season with a concussion, in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 88 car. Earnhardt was on hand to congratulate Bowman with a hug on pit road after qualifying ended on Friday.

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Bowman was all smiles, given his family still lives in Arizona and he considers Phoenix to be his home track.

"It’s a place that’s always been close to my heart," he said.

Bowman moved to Charlotte when he was 16 to pursue a racing dream, but had raced at Phoenix long before that. His career at the track actually started when he was 7 years old, when he ran quarter midget races in the parking lot behind the Phoenix grandstand.

Over the years, he came to watch sprint car races and midget races at Phoenix — and even ran the final midget race in the track’s history.

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Now he’ll start from the pole on Sunday in front of family and friends in the best equipment of his life. That’s especially important because Bowman said earlier Friday he has no ride lined up for next season.

If racing doesn't work out, Bowman might have to go back to his day job: Driving a simulator for Hendrick Motorsports to help with the team's setups each week.

Follow Jeff Gluck on Twitter @jeff_gluck.

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