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Not even our great future vice president could help poor Alex Bowman and Hendrick Motorsports yesterday at Charlotte. 

Sad. See? This is what we’re up against, people. Kamala’s America. Front and center. You think this is a joke? Look at what happened to Alex Bowman yesterday! 

You think you’ve won – or, in Bowman’s case, advanced to the next round – and then BAM … they steal it from you. Sound familiar? Stop the count, you losers! Let Alex race!

OK, I’m being a jackass (shocking) mostly as shtick because a day that started with JD Vance in the garage ended with a NASCAR driver getting disqualified from the postseason after advancing just hours earlier. You can’t make it up. 

And you spent the whole day watching football! See what you missed? Good thing this award-winning column is pumping out #content on this second Monday of October to keep you informed. You are welcome!

Look, obviously we’re gonna talk about the Bowman drama today, because it’s the story coming out of Charlotte. But, unlike the rest of the woke media, we’re also gonna check in with JD Vance, who was also at the track yesterday.

(No clue if the woke media mentioned our future VP’s appearance yesterday. I do know that 99% of the media room was in shambles because of it, though. Trust me. It must’ve been glorious to watch unfold)

What else should we hit on today? How about an absolute HEATER from a NASCAR wife we haven’t heard from in ages? Sound good? Good!

We’ll also get a pregnancy update from Natalie Decker – it’s going WELL – and then check in with Martin Truex Jr. to see if he’s having any second thoughts about his impending retirement. 

Spoiler alert: he is not. 

Four tires, just a dash of that Sunoco racin’ fuel, and a BIG SCARLET A for Alex Bowman to wear on his chest all week! Monday Morning Pit-Stop – the ‘Cheaters Cheaters Pumpkin Eaters’ edition – is LIVE!

Not the best way to end a Sunday

OK, let’s get the annoying, serious stuff out of the way before we hit the pool with Harrison Burton’s fiancée. 

Alex Bowman crossed the finish line 18th and managed to sneak his way into the Round of 8, but by the time the ‘ol No. 48 Chevy was out of inspection, he was eliminated and branded a CHEATER!

OK, that’s not exactly how it happened, but it’s pretty much the nuts and bolts of it. Here, allow Bobby to dramatically stare into the camera and explain the situation:

Nobody better than Bob Pockrass, mainly because he pumps out #content like that and saves me from a bunch of work. Love that. Gets me to the NASCAR WAG portion faster, and that’s something we can all root for. 

Anyway, Bowman’s Chevy came in a little light at post-race weigh-in, which led to him being swapped out for Joey Logano (of course) in the semifinal round of the playoffs. A lot of Twitter sleuths believe THIS little video could be the smoking gun:

Yeah, I mean … I don’t want to get into the weeds of how these cars work, don’t work, what should happen when your vehicle goes flying through the air at 100 MPH … I just don’t care. And, frankly, I don’t know any of those answers. 

I do know that Bowman’s car came in light, which means he failed, which means he got DQ’d. That’s pretty much it. End of story, unless Hendrick appeals, which will happen today if he’s gonna do it. 

No idea if that’s gonna work or not – I’d guess not – and I’m not even sure it’s worth appealing? 

You came in light, the rules say one thing, and you did not meet the criteria of the one thing they said. Does it make the NASCAR playoff format look a little silly? Maybe. But, that’s par for the course for NASCAR. 

The rules are the rules, and I’m not sure video of Bowman flying through Turn 8 is gonna change anyone’s mind.  

More importantly … am I tired of talking about the weight of stock cars on a Monday in October?

You betcha! 

Onwards. 

Lefty NASCAR Twitter loved seeing JD Vance yesterday!

Let’s leave one controversy and dive into something we can all agree on: JD Vance being in Charlotte yesterday for the big race was a great moment for the sport!

Just kidding. Of course not everyone loved it, mainly this chick:

Hilarious. Watching the lefty’s melt because JD Vance was at the driver’s meeting has been exactly as unhinged as I’d hoped when I heard he was gonna be there. 

The most original response I’ve seen? 

Keep politics out of NASCAR! 

Yeah, OK! Sure. Easy. Literally every other sport is woke as hell and insufferable and displaying End Racism signs in the end zone like it’s 1853, but NASCAR can’t have JD Vance in the garage area before a race?

Get outta here.

Let’s check out a couple more gems:

I do agree with that last one … I don’t care who you vote for – we can all agree that Bob Vance: Vance Refrigeration would be way cooler to hang out with at an automobile race than JD Vance. 

Hey, Charlotte, show some respect

PS: anyone out there who thinks the entire room didn’t clap for JD Vance is insane. I promise you that 99% of the garage area is voting for Trump next month. Hell, I can assure you every single owner is, along with pretty much every single pit crew member. 

Here’s a fun game … which driver ain’t voting Trump? I’m gonna go with, maybe, Joey Logano? Seems like he might not be a Trump guy. You never know, though. 

Bubba Wallace obviously isn’t. I’d throw in Christopher Bell as well, along with William Byron. Those last two are just because they’re young, tiny white dudes who I assume are on TikTok a lot. Don’t know why, but that sounds like trouble to me. 

Everyone else, though? Yeah, they bleed red. You think BJ McCleod is attending a White Guys for a Harris Zoomer?

Don’t think so. 

Now, let’s get to some of the other JD Vance reactions, including the wokes at Charlotte doing progressive things: 

Angry MTJ & an OG NASCAR wife stops by

Look, I ain’t touching that last one from Sam Busch. Her comment section is an absolute war zone considering the context. I’ll let you figure it out. 

Anyway, hey, Charlotte – let’s show the man some respect and announce him as a vice presidential candidate as well. Seems like an easy thing to do. Sort of burying the lede if you don’t. 

PS: bet the conversation between Richard Petty, Don Jr. and JD was ELECTRIC. 

PPS: did I miss a possible Kamala voter in the garage? Let me know! Zach.Dean@OutKick.com. 

OK, couple quickies (hey now!) on the way out because this has already run wayyyyyyyyyy longer than intended. First up? Let’s check in with Martin Truex Jr., who is surely feeling sentimental about his racing career quickly coming to the finish line:

Martin started 30th yesterday, finished 21st, and has now finished 20th or worse in 9 of the last 11 races. Yeah, he’s ready to spend his days on the lake here pretty soon. 

Finally … let’s check in with a couple MMPS OGs on the way out. Sam Busch? Check. Erin Blaney AND Hooters Gianna? Check and check. 

Jenna Petty? Cheeeeeeeeeck!

Strong week all around!

OK, that’s all for today. Good talk. Let’s go have a damn week and head into the final month of the NASCAR season with clear eyes and full hearts (can’t lose!). 

On to Vegas. 

Take us there, Natalie! Halfway home.