“It’s a tough business,” Hendrick Motorsports executive Jeff Gordon quipped back in July. Among all the stellar Cup Series drivers in his team, one stands out—Alex Bowman. Over the past few years, Bowman has rarely matched the pace of his overachieving teammates. Although he snapped an 80-race winless streak at Chicago Circuit, a shadow of doubt lingers over his future at HMS.
Alex Bowman may not be living up to the expectations of HMS’ tough business. After his Chicago glory and a runner-up finish at Pocono, the No. 48 driver entered a dismal streak of back-to-back poor finishes. So as the postseason looms ahead, rumors are afoot about Bowman’s possible shift.
Alex Bowman headed for a new garage, experts claim
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Running his seventh full season with Mr. H, Alex Bowman has trodden a long and arduous path at Hendrick Motorsports. His journey started in 2017 and clinched his first victory at Chicagoland Speedway in 2019. Bowman’s breakthrough performance came in 2021 when he grabbed four shining trophies. But unfortunate circumstances prevailed over him in 2022—a concussion sidelined him for five races. 2023 witnessed his back injury that put him out for three-point races. Coming into this year, Bowman faced issues like engine trouble in New Hampshire that ended his day on the 144th lap.
What’s your reaction? Is Alex Bowman really on the chopping block? React! Reactions
Trying to storm back to Victory Lane in a rain-drenched Chicago Street Race, the glory didn’t last long. After Pocono, Alex Bowman finished outside the top 15 for five races, and that has reborn speculation about his future at HMS. After all, holding a place in NASCAR’s highest-achieving Cup team needs to meet a golden standard. And, just in time, NASCAR insider Brett Griffin set off the newest rumor, “I’d say Alex Bowman is out, and he may be out in more than just the playoffs if he’s out first round.”
Alex Bowman’s contract with HMS runs till the 2026 season, but journalist Austin Konenski believes he might finally occupy the hot seat. Kosinski tweeted, “I’ve been skeptical about the entire thing but it’s been getting louder. Definitely think the seats are warm. The 2026 season could also be a better idea? Very fluid NASCAR silly season stuff!”
This rumor springs up even after Bowman repeatedly snuffed out ejection ideas while praising his team executives and long-time sponsor Ally. Despite this, Alex Bowman may just retain his seat. But his weakness lies in points, the area where other HMS drivers excel.
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The crew chief emphasized the points battle
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All throughout 2024, HMS drivers have been on a roll. Kyle Larson tops that group—the arguably best racer in the US right now attempted the Double in May besides clinching four stellar wins. He also wrestled with Tyler Reddick at Darlington for the regular season championship, losing it by just one point.
Then Chase Elliott is not far behind, as he stuffed some consistent finishes along with his Texas win in a delicious sandwich of success. William Byron also owns three wins this season, rivaling the likes of Denny Hamlin in points and occupying the 4th rank currently.
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So you can see where Alex Bowman lags behind in this group—the points battle. He currently occupies the 12th place, as consistent finishes have not been his forte. Even after the Chicago win, crew chief Blake Harris observed Bowman’s weakness that the playoff system snuffed out. “I think the speed has been there. We talked, we had an engine failure at Loudon and we had an engine failure here last year at Chicago. As we talk through those things, he’s like, man, right as we’re in this point battle, and I’m like, we’re one race away from that not mattering.”
Clearly, it takes a lot to proudly flaunt yourself as a Hendrick driver. With Alex Bowman’s future supposedly at stake, where do you think the driver would be headed next?