NASCAR fans are looking to the future, and Hendrick Motorsports just shared big news. On Thursday, July 23, the team announced that Alex Bowman will retire from full-time racing at the end of the 2027 Cup season. The 33-year-old driver has eight Cup wins. However, he often struggles to match the results of his teammates.

Alex Bowman will race for Hendrick Motorsports for the last time in 2027

The announcement shocked the racing world. Bowman is only 33 years old and drives for the sport’s top team. He even signed a contract extension before making this choice. Fans expected him to change teams due to his struggles, but no one expected him to quit racing entirely.

However, Bowman faced real health problems in recent years. He missed races due to a concussion in 2022, a back injury in 2023, and severe vertigo earlier this season. He wants to race one last time in 2027 so he can end his career on his own terms.

Bowman’s exit creates a big task for Hendrick Motorsports. With Bowman leaving, who will drive the #48 Chevrolet Camaro? This was a big pair of shoes to fill, given that it was a number made famous thanks to Jimmie Johnson when he won seven Cup titles. Bowman tried hard to match that success, but he often fell short. As per reports, the favorites for the 2027 seat are either Trackhouse Racing rookie Connor Zilisch or HMS’s own Corey Day.

The 2026 Cup season has been hard on Zilisch. He has had bad finishes and early crashes in his Trackhouse car. Moving to Hendrick could help his career. As for Corey Day, he will be 22 years old by the time he steps inside the Cup car. Frankly, promoting a rookie into a top team is always a risk, but sometimes it pays off.

Whoever it is, they will have plenty of experienced heads to lean on, like Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron. Learning from two Cup champions and a regular title contender like Byron will help Day or Zilisch a lot. As for the outgoing Alex Bowman, he will be keen to see out the 2026 season after missing four races. In other words, a chance at making the Chase is impossible unless he bags a few wins.

If he misses out, Bowman will focus on 2027 to end his career on a high note.