It was more than just the Texas heat that sidelined Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman at COTA last Sunday.

The driver of the number 48 car will not be in the lineup at Phoenix this Sunday while he deals with vertigo issues.  Bowman received the diagnosis after two days of testing.

The man they call “Fast Pasta” Anthony Alfredo will be taking over the driving duties of the 48 car this Sunday around the one mile track in Phoenix.

President of Hendrick Motorsports Jeff Andrews spoke on Bowman via a statement saying, “Alex has worked very hard over the last several days.  We’re encouraged by the progress he’s making, but we have to prioritize his health above all else. It’s obviously frustrating for him because he’s a competitor and wants to be in the race car, especially at his home track. We’ll continue to support Alex and look forward to his return as soon as he’s medically cleared.”

Bowman is a native of Tucson, Arizona.

During the race at Circuit of the Americas ( a 17 turn road course), Bowman radioed the crew that he was not feeling well saying, “I’ve got an issue in here that we’re not going to fix, but I’m going to need some help post-race probably.”

Ultimately, Bowman brought the car in and O’Reilly Auto Parts driver and part time pit road spotter Myatt Snider hopped in the car to finish the race after a quick meeting from NASCAR officials to approve Snider’s being a replacement driver.

An O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver, Anthony Alfredo also works as a simulator driver for Hendrick Motorsports.  With over 200 race starts across all three of NASCAR series, Alfredo does not need prior approval from NASCAR to drive the Cup Series car on a one mile track.

Alfredo spoke via release on driving the 48 car saying, “first and foremost, I hate it for Alex. No race car driver wants to be in the position where they have to give up their seat for a weekend to someone else. His health is definitely the most important thing, and I hope he gets back to the track soon. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Blake (Harris, crew chief) and the number 48 team for this race. It’s a group I’m already familiar with due to my relationship with Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet. The goal is to have a solid weekend at Phoenix and help get the team some good notes for future races.”

HMS will be seeking a medical waiver for Alex Bowman which will allow him to compete for the championship and playoffs.