Alex Bowman has signed a one-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports and will retire from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition after next season.
This will mark a full decade stint with the Chevrolet flagship, in which the now 33-year-old will have driven both the No. 88 and No. 48 cars following the respective retirements of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson. His first starts with the organization came in 2016 in a substitute role for Earnhardt.
Overall, Bowman has eight victories at the highest level, but has also suffered numerous injuries during that time:
- A concussion in 2022 that sidelined him for five races
- A fractured vertebra in 2023 that sidelined him for three races
- A bout of vertigo that cost him four races this season
“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 in a Hendrick press release. “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.”
Rick Hendrick has formed a familial bond with Bowman, with both frequently talking about the father-son dynamic they have forged during their time together.
“Alex has meant so much to our organization for a long time,” said Hendrick in the same release. “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.”
Both Bowman and Hendrick will be made available for a press conference on Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to discuss the development.
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