NASCAR Rumors: Insider Offers Clarity on Alex Bowman’s Future with Hendrick Motorsports

NASCAR driver Alex Bowman entered the 2026 season in a contract year, seemingly on the hot seat in the No. 48 car with Hendrick Motorsports. As he now tries to climb his way back in a season derailed by vertigo issues, it appears Hendrick already knows what it wants to do next season.

class="wp-block-paragraph">NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reported this week on Dirty Mo Overdrive that Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 team both want Bowman back behind the wheel for the 2027 Cup Series season.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Related: Insider Names Potential Alex Bowman Replacement for Hendrick Motorsports

“The team would like to see Alex Bowman return next year. He has proven that, in the right situation, he can win races and the sponsor, Ally, likes him a lot. But a lot of this is going to be up to Alex and whether or not he wants to continue doing this or not in this situation…It’s going to be his decision primarily whether he wants to continue to do this or not…The 48 team would like to see him continue in that car.”

Jordan Bianchi on Alex Bowman’s future with Hendrick MotorsportsWell before NASCAR silly season began, there’s been plenty of uncertainty regarding Bowman’s place at Hendrick Motorsports. While he made the playoffs last season, the veteran driver hasn’t won a race since the 2024 Chicago Street Race, leaving him with just one win over the last three seasons.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Things looked even more bleak early this season. Bowman wrecked in the Daytona 500, finishing last, then recorded a 23rd-place finish at EchoPark Speedway. Unfortunately, his history of health issues popped up again at Circuit of the Americas. Midway through the race at COTA, Bowman pulled into his pit stall and took himself out. He reported experiencing vertigo, which kept him sidelined for four additional races.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Bowman did record consecutive third-place finishes at Talladega and Texas Motor Speedway followed by a ninth-place finish two weeks later in the All-Star Race. However, Bowman’s average finishing position in the last four races has fallen back to 24.0 and he’s averaged just 15.25 points per race in that span.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The issue for Hendrick is that there’s no obvious replacement easily available. Development driver Corey Day is a long-term option, but he’s only 20 years old and has never raced in the Cup Series. Not only does Day not have any on-track experience in the Next Gen car, but he’s also in his first full-time season in the O’Reilly Series.

class="wp-block-paragraph">One option who has been mentioned throughout NASCAR silly season as an alternative for the No. 48 car is rookie Connor Zilisch. However, the 19-year-old is under contract through next season with Trackhouse Racing and his results–second-fewest points and a 27.688 average finishing position–leave something to be desired. Hendrick could pursue him, but that could require paying a hefty sum to Trackhouse to buy out the final year of his contract.

class="wp-block-paragraph">What’s far more realistic, if he’s willing, is bringing Bowman back on a one-year deal for the 2027 season and then determining next offseason if Zilisch or Day is the best option. However, if Bowman’s history of health issues push him toward retirement, things will get a lot more interesting at HMS and for the NASCAR silly season.

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