Bowman to Retire After 2027 NASCAR Cup Series Season

Alex Bowman will hang up his racing helmet at the conclusion of the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Bowman is 29th in the Cup Series standings after missing four races because of vertigo in the spring. He has spent the past nine seasons driving for Hendrick Motorsports, the winningest organization in NASCAR history.

The native of Tucson, Ariz. replaced Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 Chevrolet in 2018 before moving to the No. 48 Chevrolet previously driven by Jimmie Johnson in 2021.

The driver of the No. 48 currently has eight Cup Series victories, with his most recent coming at the Chicago Street Race in 2024. However, he has not enjoyed the same level of success as Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron.

Bowman began his Cup Series career with BK Racing in 2014 before moving to the now-defunct Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2015. His most successful season came in 2021, when he won four races but finished 14th in the standings. His best points finish was sixth in 2020. He later went on and received his breakthrough opportunity in 2016, when he alternated with Jeff Gordon as a substitute for Dale Earnhardt Jr, who was sidelined with a concussion. Hendrick Motorsports later announced that Bowman would take over Earnhardt’s car full time beginning in 2018.

Bowman has been unable to repeat his four-win 2021 season and has been plagued by injuries during the Next Gen era. He missed five races at the end of the 2022 season because of a concussion suffered at Texas Motor Speedway. He missed three races in 2023 because of a back injury sustained in a midget-car race. He also missed four races this spring after getting out of his car at Circuit of the Americas because of vertigo-like symptoms, which was later diagnosed with vertigo.

“Alex has meant so much to our organization for a long time,” Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said. “He’s overcome adversity, won big races and represented our team and partners with professionalism, personality and class. Alex is a tremendous talent in the race car and an even better person outside of it.

“We’re proud he’ll have the opportunity to finish his full-time career with us on his terms. He’s family.”

Bowman also said he spent considerable time thinking about his future before making the decision.

“I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what’s next, and this feels like the right decision at the right time,” Bowman said. “The sport asks a lot of you, and I’ve learned it’s important to listen to your body and make the right choices for yourself."

“To say I’m incredibly grateful to Mr. Hendrick, our partners at Ally and Chevrolet, and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports would be an understatement. They believed in me and gave me the biggest opportunity of my life.

“My focus now is on making the most of my time on the racetrack and competing for wins. We still have a lot to accomplish, and I want to close my career on a high note for our team and our fans. To have the chance to do that with this organization and these people is really special.”

Bowman will remain behind the wheel of the No. 48 Ally Financial Chevrolet throughout his final full-time season.

His announcement also leaves Hendrick Motorsports searching for the next driver of the No. 48. One potential candidate is NASCAR prospect Connor Zilisch, although he has struggled during his 2026 rookie campaign.