It’s safe to say that this isn’t Alex Bowman’s year. Amid Rick Hendrick stepping in to water down the replacement rumors and two other HMS stars attempting to deliver Hendrick Motorsports its 15th Cup title at Phoenix today, Bowman has already kicked his feet up, especially off the throttle for the offseason.

The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports racer faced a tough playoff, to say the very least. The 32-year-old was the final driver to make the Round of 16 and was the only driver from Mr. H’s clan without a win during the regular season. And after the near miss at the Bristol night race, Bowman’s title hopes got slammed. And now the Arizona native is ready to take a step back.

Alex Bowman is ready to step into the Chili Bowl Nationals in a new role

Speaking in a media availability ahead of the championship finale, Bowman seems to be eager for the offseason. Putting his foot down, he said, “I’m not driving. I’ll go to Chili Bowl again and be an owner, crew chief, mud scraper, that kind of thing, but no driving.” He went on to say, “Yeah, for me, the midget’s tough because I just don’t fit. My knees are in the steering box of the midget really bad, so I’m really uncomfortable driving those cars. The wing sprint car thing, like, I would love to get back in one. Someday I will, unless Chloe won’t let me, so we’ll see. But yeah, for now, just wrenching.”

And it looks like homecoming for Bowman. At a very young age, he started racing in quarter midgets and dirt track competitions. Having competed in the Chili Bowl Nationals multiple times as a driver, Bowman now wants to trade places. Amid owning the Alex Bowman Racing team, his role as team owner and preparation has shifted rather than full-time driving.

And there is a reason for him to scale back on his racing participation. In 2023, Bowman suffered a back injury and then decided to take a step away from racing in the dirt. Injuries such as a fractured vertebra also added to it. But Bowman’s love for the chilly bowl isn’t lost.

Continuing the narrative from two years ago, the 32-year-old said, “ Just a couple of little things were holdups. I attempted polishing frames which is the most work that I have ever attempted at anything, and it wasn’t going to come out how I wanted it, so we had to kind of back up and powder coat. Just been in the shop tinkering, and I love Chili Bowl and kind of the ingenuity, the lack of weight rules, and it was lack of any rules for a long time.”

And that love has carried on. In fact, earlier this year, Alex Bowman and his dirt midget race team fielded four entries in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals. With sponsorship from Ally Financial, Bowman brought his largest contingent yet to compete in midget racing’s biggest event, held annually at the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Chili Bowl veterans Jake Swanson, CJ Leary, and Kevin Thomas Jr. joined Alex Bowman Racing’s newcomer Briggs Danner for the nearly weeklong competition in January.

For now, the Hendrick Motorsports driver cannot wait to get back in the team owner position. After a heartbreaking Round of 16 playoff bid, the Arizona native definitely wants a change of place. Bowman was consistently starting poorly in the play of races, qualifying 25th or worse in each of the first two playoff races, which puts the team on the back foot. A pit road execution failure derailed his team at Darlington.

Even with speed present and Bristol as the potential opportunity, the team couldn’t handle tire cycles or make the critical moves in the restarts. All of these factors further pushed his championship bid into a slump. And with him being the only HMS driver not to have a win this year, rumors about his future have taken shape. However, Mr. H hasn’t raised the white flag on him.

Rick Hendrick slams Bowman replacement rumors

As speculation surrounding Alex Bowman’s future cools, thanks to Rick Hendrick’s comments. The HMS team owner’s verdict serves as both a firm dismissal of replacement and a public endorsement of Bowman’s value within Hendrick Motorsports. Rather than operating under threat, Bowman and the No. 48 team are being reinforced as vital components in the next chapter of HMS dominance.

Hendrick rejected the notion that short-term struggles warrant drastic change, emphasizing instead the team’s commitment to perseverance and growth. He said, “They put a lot of pressure on themselves. They had a good start to the year, and there’ve been tracks where Alex was our best car. You’re always gonna have someone that’s followed the rest of the group. If you remember, Chase (Elliott) wouldn’t have in that good year, a year or so ago, and now he’s stepped that one up.”

As Bowman and Hendrick enter their third full season together, their chemistry and rhythm have matured, setting the stage for a promising 2026 campaign. With Chevy preparing to debut a new Cup Series body, Bowman will play a central role in early test sessions at tracks like Darlington and New Hampshire.

Rick Hendrick added, “There’s a tremendous amount of focus on the 48, because of our sponsor and just our pride. I think Alex will have a good year next year.”

Bowman’s methodical, engineering-focused mindset makes him ideal for converting simulation data into real-world performance, solidifying his position as a key technical asset for both the team and Chevrolet’s broader Cup Series efforts. And as Phoenix closes out for the 34-year-old driver, 2026 presents itself with new opportunities.