HMS has only bagged two wins in the Cup Series so far, and that means there could be major discussions in the offseason. While they still have time to make things better, it seems likely that one of their drivers is struggling to find any momentum. Alex Bowman had his season disrupted due to vertigo, which led to him missing several weeks of action. However, this has resulted in him slipping to 34th position in the standings, and has led to the start of some serious conversations about his seat.

While there are no confirmations on whether Bowman will be replaced from the No. 48 car, but there are already favorites established, and one of them has been labelled Kyle Larson 2.0 in the past due to his racing style.

The chatter only exploded after Door Bumper Clear’s cohost Freddie Kraft hinted at Alex Bowman’s exit from HMS while Day would swoop in.

“Talking about Corey Day, talking about silly season’s kind of ramping up, now you hear a lot of s–t, I would have thought Corey Day was a year away from getting in the 48 car or at least getting a chance to get in the 48 car,” Door Bumper Clear’s cohost Freddie Kraft said. “I think that there are some serious conversations about whether he might get in that car next year now.”

Bowman still hasn’t found victory lane since 2024. At HMS, prolonged slumps always create uncomfortable conversations, particularly when there’s a highly talented prospect in Corey Day waiting in line.

He is a full-time HMS driver in the O’Reilly Series and is currently fifth in the standings with a lot more races left in the season.

The comparison to Kyle Larson has followed him for years now. Not because they drive the same stock car style yet, but because their backgrounds feel eerily familiar. Both California natives came from the dirt world, carrying a reputation for outrageous car control and natural force in the field.

More importantly, both are championship drivers as Larson went on to win the Cup Series in 2025 and Day picked up his first Truck Series championship. That’s exactly why Rick Hendrick’s interest in the 20-year-old raised eyebrows immediately.

“Corey impressed us with how quickly he adapted this year,” Mr.H admitted while signing in the young prospect to the bowtie organization. “He’ll go into 2026 with less pavement experience than anyone in the field, but you’d never know it by watching him drive. The instincts and raw talent are off the charts, and he’s going to keep getting better with more seat time. Corey has a tremendous future, and we’re proud to have him represent HendrickCars.com.”

Day has been solid in the O’Reilly Series with nine top 10 finishes, four top fives, and a Talladega win through just 13 races this season.

That’s the kind of production that forces an organisation to start asking difficult questions earlier than planned. And HMS has never exactly been known for waiting around when they believe they have found a superstar.

Can Bowman keep driving for HMS after this season?

The rumors about Bowman getting replaced are simply due to his poor run this season, although things have changed a little bit in recent races.

However, the 33-year-old still has time, and the Coca-Cola 600 race could be where he ends all the chatter around his situation at least momentarily.

For all the heat surrounding Bowman right now, Charlotte Motor Speedway could see him roll back the years. Quietly, the Coca-Cola 600 has been one of the most stable tracks for Bowman over the years, especially when HMS unloads with speed on intermediate ovals.

He finished ninth in the rain shot at the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 and has consistently shown the ability to run upfront at Charlotte, even leading 140 laps during the 2020 addition, before late race chaos ruined what looked like a potential breakthrough win.

The bigger question is whether Bowman can finally turn solid Charlotte pace into a statement performance once again.

While his teammates like William Byron and Kyle Larson have continued putting in strong performances on 1.5-mile tracks, Bowman has struggled to consistently capitalise on strong runs.

He has earned one top-five and four top-ten finishes, but the 33-year-old will be hoping to pull off something similar or even better to give the HMS team reasons to keep him next season as well.