Alex Bowman expressed frustration after a top-five finish at Kansas Speedway due to early damage that knocked him out of contention for the win. Chad Knaus had a much different emotion after he saw the No. 48 team deliver speed once again.
"They were great," Knaus told media members after Kyle Larson's win. "They had a very good race car. It's unfortunate they had that damage early. But to be able to bounce back the way they did, again, I think, is showing the character of that team.
"They've been fast the last handful of weeks. Four of the last five weeks, they've had cars that I feel like were capable of running in the top five, but they've had unfortunate circumstances take them out, whether it be an engine or an unfortunate crash after a pit stop mishap or something along those lines."
Bowman's season has featured a mix of big moments and struggles alike. He kicked off the year with top-10 finishes in five of the first six races. This includes a runner-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he was in the lead in the closing laps before contact with the wall. He has also posted a new career-best mark by winning the pole two times.
The recent stretch, however, has featured some struggles as Bowman finished outside the top 30 in three of the last five races. One was a DNF due to an engine failure while another was a DNF due to a six-car crash. He also finished 35th at Darlington Raceway.
While Bowman has eight wins at the Cup level, he has been viewed at times as the fourth Hendrick Motorsports driver, much like Kasey Kahne and Casey Mears before him.
He's been put in a different category than Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron. He has also faced numerous questions about his future with the organization and whether another driver would replace him.
Knaus, who won seven championships with Jimmie Johnson, does not view the situation in this manner. He is a self-proclaimed supporter of Bowman, who had the monumental task of replacing Johnson in the No. 48 after the 2020 season.
"I'm a big fan of Alex's," Knaus continued. "I think that he's a great young man. I think he's a great driver. He's got a great team. Blake (Harris) has really built that team up around him, and they're taking things on one big chomp at a time, and they're not taking little bites, they're trying to improve, and it's pretty awesome.
"Yeah, Alex and I have got a great relationship. He was saying something about me on the radio; that's why I pumped him up a little bit. He's a good dude, and he's a great race car driver. I'm really proud of what those guys are doing right now."
Bowman continues to seek his first win of the season and his first since Chicago last July, but he is eighth in the Cup standings. He gained two spots after finishing fifth at Kansas Speedway.