Alex Bowman needed to take off work before substituting for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

With Jeff Gordon unavailable due to a previous commitment, Hendrick Motorsports needed to find another substitute for Dale Earnhardt Jr. this weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

Enter Alex Bowman, who filled in admirably for Earnhardt a month ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. But before Bowman could accept Hendrick’s offer he had to do one thing: get time off from his part-time day job.

Bowman works in the simulation department at Hendrick. What exactly he does the 23-year-old wouldn’t specify, but considering each manufacturer has its own hi-tech simulators that teams use to test and fine-tune chassis setups for the various tracks comprising the Sprint Cup schedule, reasonable deduction points to Bowman having some kind of involvement.

Thus Bowman needed the okay to take a half-day on Thursday so he could travel to Michigan in preparation for Sunday’s race. Not surprisingly, his request was granted and Bowman was on the track driving Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet on Friday, practicing and qualifying for the Pure Michigan 400.

“They’re pretty flexible when you tell them that you’ve got to drive the No. 88 car and that you need to leave a couple of hours early to get to the airport,” Bowman said Friday. “… It kind of keeps me relevant at HMS and I get to learn a lot and still be part of a race team even though I’m not driving every week.”

That Bowman needed to miss work is also what happened when Hendrick last asked him to drive in Earnhardt’s place. Bowman was at work when Greg Ives, Earnhardt’s crew chief, called informing him of the situation. But because Bowman didn’t have his phone with him he got the notice late and had to rush to the airport.

Earnhardt is sidelined indefinitely with a concussion sustained during the June 12 race at Michigan. Although he initially felt fine afterward, symptoms began to occur a few weeks later, and following a medical consultation it was determined he was suffering from concussion-like symptoms. It was later diagnosed that he had suffered his third concussion in four years.

Earnhardt has not competed since July 9 at Kentucky Speedway. He will also sit out next weekend’s race at Darlington Raceway, and beyond that his status is undecided.

Jeff Gordon, who’s filled in for four of the races Earnhardt’s missed -- Bowman drove the other -- will again take the wheel of the No. 88 car at Darlington. Bowman doesn’t have any more Sprint Cup races scheduled.

“Obviously, I’m happy to fill in when needed,” Bowman said. “Jeff is going to be in the car in Darlington. Hopefully, we’ll just have to see Dale’s timeline, but I’m definitely happy to get in the car whenever needed.”