LAS VEGAS — Few people in motorsports had as crummy a week as Alex Bowman, who left Charlotte Motor Speedway two weeks ago celebrating along with his Hendrick Motorsports teammates in claiming four of the eight spots in NASCAR's semifinals.

"She's like, 'Do you believe one week ago at this hour?' I come walking out of our bedroom, and I said, 'You're not going to believe this (expletive).' Here we are a week later. I told her, 'You ain't going to believe this,

The disqualification cost Bowman 20 points and eliminated him from the playoff field just as the Arizona native was hoping to reach next month’s championship race at his home track of Phoenix Raceway.