Affected by the heat of the race last weekend, Alex Bowman had to step away from the race; however, with recent updates about Bowman’s situation, Rick Hendrick’s driver has been sidelined from racing for a while now, and the fans cannot help but speculate more. HMS is offering all the support they can as Jeff Andrews clears things up surrounding Bowman’s absence from Phoenix raceway.

“So the good news is it’s absolutely nothing concussion-related, anything like that that should have a long-term effect,” Jeff Andrews said. “We’re supporting him as he goes down the right path and sees the right people to get himself better. That’s certainly our priority, the health and safety of Alex Bowman, not only in one of our race cars but also his personal health as a whole. We’ll support him however long this takes, and that seat will be ready for him when he’s ready to get back in that car.”

It all started as a warning over the radio. Midway through the race at COTA last weekend, Alex Bowman told his No. 48 crew that something wasn’t right. “Yeah, I’m pretty well f—-d here, buddy,” he said during the stage two break, hinting that the problem might linger even after the checkout flag. Not long after, the HMS Driver pulled his Chevrolet into the garage on lap 71, ending his day early.

With Bowman being unable to continue, Myatt Snider climbed into the car and carried it the rest of the way. The substitute driver finished the race and handed Bowman a 36th-place finish, six laps off the pace. The unexpected exit only added to the difficult start to Bowman’s 2026 campaign in the NASCAR Cup Series, leaving him 36th in the standings after three straight finishes outside the top 20.

Over the following days, the Hendrick Motorsports driver underwent a medical evaluation that eventually revealed the cause of the issue: vertigo. The Arizona native even tested himself behind the wheel of a streetcar at the Ten Tenths Motor Club road course to gauge whether he could return quickly. While the laps went smoothly, Bowman ultimately felt he wasn’t ready to push through a full race weekend.

That means the No. 48 will have a different driver when the series heads to Phoenix Raceway this weekend. Anthony Alfredo, Hendrick Motorsports’ simulator driver for Chevrolet, will step into the seat. The 26-year-old brings experience of his own with more than 200 starts across NASCAR’s national series, including 43 at the cup level, as Bowman takes time to recover.

And now, the NASCAR fans are left fearing the worst.

Fans question Alex Bowman’s future with HMS

Bowman’s absence did not just raise concerns about his health; it quickly sparked speculation about what it meant for his future at HMS. As the news of the vertigo diagnosis spread, fans began debating whether the situation could open the door for a bigger change within the No. 48 team.

Some supporters immediately began floating possible replacements. One fan wrote, “So, Hocevar next year? And honestly, if Alex is out for an extended period of time, you might as well do the transition as early as possible. All is under the Chevrolet umbrella.”

The suggestion referencing Carson within the Chevrolet development pipeline, many believe, could eventually land him a top-tier cup ride despite his long-term commitment to Spire Motorsports.

Others were even more blunt about Bowman’s long-term outlook.

“Yeah, I’m fairly certain this is his last year at Hendrick. Could be wrong, but the wind is definitely blowing against him,” one fan commented, hinting at the momentum around the No. 48 seat possibly shifting.

Another pointed to availability concerns rather than outright performance issues, writing, “His performance would be fine to keep him in the car, but it’s getting to the point where you can’t rely on him to be in the car for all 36. Running solid is fine, but if you can’t stay on the track and you’re not racking up many wins when you’re on the track, it gets hard to justify your seat.”

Still, not everyone believes the change is imminent. Some fans noted the loyalty that has long defined Rick Hendrick‘s organization and the strength of Bowman’s backing. One commentator argued, “Ally Financial likes Alex Bowman, and Hendrick tends to be loyal towards his drivers. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the team considers replacing Bowman with someone else, as he’s regressed in the past few years and missed races in 3 of the past 5 seasons due to injuries.”

It is no secret that Alex Bowman’s position at HMS has long been strengthened by the backing of primary sponsor Ally Financial, which serves as the full-time sponsor for his Chevrolet.

In 2023, Ally and HMS extended the partnership through the 2028 season, while Bowman himself signed a contract keeping him in the seat through at least 2026, demonstrating the sponsor’s strong commitment to both of the drivers in the team.

However, Bowman’s tenure has long been disrupted by several injury-related absences in recent years. A concussion suffered in a sprint car crash forced him to miss five races during the 2022 season, while a fractured vertebra from another sprint car incident sidelined him for three races in 2023.

More recently, health concerns such as vertigo have again raised questions about his availability, meaning Bowman has missed multiple races across seasons despite the stability provided by his long-term sponsorship.

Another added a shot but a telling caveat to the speculation, writing. “… unless it bleeds into 2027.”

For now, the picture remains clear: Alex Bowman’s NASCAR future is in deep waters, and the fans aren’t letting it go easy.