Alex Bowman (vertigo) cleared to return at Bristol

Alex Bowman will return to the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday after a bout with vertigo, Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday.

Bowman, 32, has not driven the No. 48 Chevrolet since March 1 at Circuit of The Americas, where he first felt the symptoms and did not finish. He missed the past four races but now has been medically cleared, the team said.

"We're proud of Alex and the way he's handled this situation," Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports, said in a news release. "He's put a lot of work into his recovery and followed the medical team's plan every step of the way. From the outset, our goal was to prioritize his health and have him return when he was fully recovered and medically cleared. We're looking forward to seeing Alex back in his race car this weekend."

Before a medical evaluation, Bowman drove on a road course in North Carolina, took part in a pit practice and went through simulator testing.

Bowman said he is "grateful for the support" he has received from Hendrick Motorsports, his sponsor, fans and the medical team and is looking forward to driving Sunday in the Food City 500.

"It's been tough being out of the car, but we all wanted to make sure I was 100% ready before returning," he said. "I feel really good, and I'm excited about being at the track with my team and getting back to racing."

Bowman has eight NASCAR Cup Series career wins and currently sits in 36th place in the Cup standings. He is in his ninth full-time season with the Hendrick team, joining upon the retirement of Dale Earnhardt Jr. after the 2017 season.

--Field Level Media