How an Eight-Time Winner’s Retirement Could Shape Hendrick Motorsports After 2027

Alex Bowman announced this evening that he will sign a one-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports and retire after the 2027 season. The future of the eight-time Cup Series winner’s career was up for debate all season, and now we know the conclusion. Despite being only 33 years old, Bowman will walk away from racing. This begs the question: What will the future of Hendrick Motorsports be once Bowman walks away?

Bowman’s surprise retirement means a Hendrick Motorsports ride will be open for the first time in seven years once the 2027 season is complete. The most likely outcome is that the 48 will be driven by Corey Day. The second overall prospect in NASCAR has won two races in the O’Reilly Auto Parts series. He currently sits fourth in the points in the Hendrick 17 entry. Bowman retiring after 2027 instead of 2026 gives Day an extra year to develop before he moves up to the 48 in the Cup Series.

If Day is the decision, he will likely be the second-youngest driver in Cup. Hendrick Motorsports will have a 35-year-old Larson, a 32-year-old Chase Elliott, and a 30-year-old William Byron in 2028. Adding the then-22-year-old to the grid, Hendrick will have one of the most age-diverse lineups in the series. The 2005-born driver will step into a lineup with three Cup Series Championships and two Daytona 500 Championships. He will also be given tips by Jeff Gordon, the vice-chairman of Hendrick. 

Even though Day makes the most sense, some other successors could potentially take over for Bowman when he retires. One is Connor Zilisch, a current rookie. Zilisch is actually seven months younger than Hendrick's prospect and earned 12 O’Reilly Series wins in the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Having that much success already at only 20 years old is something that could be massive for Hendrick in the long-term future. Zane Smith is another, though much less likely, option. Smith has shown signs of potential during the 2026 season while driving for Front Row Motorsports. The 27-year-old is due for a ride upgrade, and former FRM driver Michael McDowell stated that drivers leave the team because the team only gives out one-year contracts for the Cup Series.

Bowman’s retirement shocks the league because of his young age. The Tucson, Arizona native had memorable moments in his 10-year run at Hendrick. From his first Cup Series win at Chicagoland in 2019, holding off future teammate Kyle Larson, to a walk-off win at Martinsville that sparked a short-term rivalry with Denny Hamlin in 2021. Day or another young prospect will have the opportunity to race in one of NASCAR’s most prestigious organizations in 2028. Bowman’s announcement today could rewrite the future of both Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR.