Alex Bowman retiring from NASCAR after 2027 season

NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alex Bowman retiring from NASCAR after 2027 season

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Jul 23, 2026 5:22 PM ET

Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday that driver Alex Bowman will retire from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition at the end of the 2027 season.

Bowman, whose career has been marred by various injuries, missed four races with vertigo earlier in the 2026 season and is 29th in points going into Sunday's Brickyard 400. The Tucson, Arizona, native has won eight Cup races in 378 starts.

Bowman, whose contract expired at the end of 2026, signed a one-year extension with HMS. Corey Day, who drives for Hendrick in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, is the likely candidate to take over Bowman's ride in 2028.

The seventh race of the 2027 Cup Series season will mark Bowman's 400th in the Cup Series.

After the 2027 season, @Alex_Bowman will retire from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition. Until then, there's one more chapter left to write. pic.twitter.com/GvoCn8BEsM
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) July 23, 2026

Bowman's tenure with HMS began in 2016, when he filled in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. after the latter suffered a concussion. He took over for Earnhardt as a full-time driver in 2018 following Earnhardt Jr.'s retirement at the end of 2017.

Alex Bowman speaks out amid retirement announcement

"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 team 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. ...

"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."

Bowman suffered a concussion in 2022 and a back injury in 2023 prior to his issues with vertigo this year. He has not won a Cup race since July 2024 at the Chicago Street Course.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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