Can a Tucson-Born Driver Win Back His Ride at Hendrick Motorsports in 2027?

The future of Alex Bowman at Hendrick Motorsports has been one of the biggest topics of Silly Season, NASCAR’s version of free agency. Reports about the Tucson native have switched seemingly every week. After a decent run, most would say he stays, while after a miserable week, they say he will be out of the ride. Bowman has said that he doesn’t feel like he's racing to stay at Hendrick, but several suitors have been presented as his replacement.

The 2026 season hasn’t been the first one in which experts have questioned Bowman’s future in the Hendrick stable. In 2022, 2023, and 2026, he missed time with injuries. He has had several playoff appearances, but many were early playoff exits. Bowman just has not performed or been available enough to be a serious Hendrick driver, and it seems to be catching up to him.

There is still time in 2026 for the 33-year-old to prove he can still win at the Cup Series level. Several races left are at places where Bowman could go to victory lane. Las Vegas on October 4th is one that the veteran should circle on his calendar. In 2022, Bowman went to victory lane at Las Vegas, beating his teammate Kyle Larson. An option where Bowman can get a win before the Cup Series Chase is Richmond on August 15th. He captured a win there in April of 2021.

If Bowman leaves Hendrick at the end of the season, there are multiple candidates to replace him. The most intriguing option for the 48 is Corey Day, an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship contender. However, Hendrick’s first full-time O’Reilly Series driver since 2009 could be held back for a couple more years following the catastrophic rookie season by Connor Zilisch. Zane Smith is another name thrown around, as he is having a standout season for Front Row Motorsports and has previous ties to Hendrick. Zilisch has been mentioned as a suitor as well, despite his struggles. Some people in the garage believe that the 19-year-old’s terrible season is due to Trackhouse Racing’s falloff rather than his talent as a driver.

Talks between Bowman and Hendrick have been heating up, and an announcement could be coming as soon as this weekend. Talks have gone both ways, several executives saying that Bowman says and several saying that he's gone. The driver who was brought to Hendrick by Dale Earnhardt Jr. could be racing his last races as a member of the team. Bowman, Day, Zilisch, Smith, and even some sleepers like Justin Allgaier or Carson Hocevar could be in the driver's seat of the iconic 48 in 2027.