Alex Bowman Announces Full-Time Retirement After the 2027 Season

NASCAR driver Alex Bowman confirmed that he will retire from full-time competition after completing the 2027 Cup Series season. The 33-year-old, who drives the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, signed a one-year contract extension for 2027 before revealing his retirement timeline. Bowman said the decision aligns with his health considerations and desire to end his career on a high note.

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Bowman’s tenure with Hendrick spans a decade, including 12 years in the Cup Series overall. He has amassed eight Cup victories and qualified for the playoffs seven times since 2018. Recent seasons have been hampered by health setbacks: concussion-related symptoms sidelined him for five races in 2022, a broken vertebra from a sprint-car crash forced him to miss three races in 2023, and vertigo kept him out of four races in the current year. Consequently, he sits 29th in the points standings with an average finish of 21.765 — his lowest performance level since the 2015 season, before joining Hendrick. He is projected to surpass 400 career Cup starts next season, having already logged 307 starts for the team, the sixth-most in Hendrick’s history.

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Bowman’s own statement emphasized listening to his body and gratitude toward Hendrick, Ally and Chevrolet for the opportunities provided.

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• Age: 33

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• Cup wins: 8 (four in 2021)

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• Playoff appearances: 7 (since 2018)

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• 2027 will be his 10th season with Hendrick

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• Current points position: 29th (cutoff for postseason is 16)

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• Missed races: 5 (2022), 3 (2023), 4 (current season)

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• “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what’s next, and this feels like the right decision at the right time,” — Alex Bowman

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Bowman will compete through the 2027 schedule, focusing on race wins and a strong finish for Hendrick Motorsports before stepping away from full-time racing.

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