Rick Hendrick, the owner of Hendrick Motorsports, has firmly quashed the rumors surrounding Alex Bowman’s exit from the team. Hendrick confirmed that Bowman will continue to drive the No. 48 Chevrolet in the upcoming season, ending weeks of speculation that had circled around the possibility of him leaving the team.
The rumors had gained traction following comments by NASCAR spotter Brett Griffin on the Door Bumper Clear podcast. Griffin suggested that Bowman might be replaced if he failed to advance past the first round of the NASCAR playoffs.
Adding to the uncertainty, Freddie Kraft, spotter for Bubba Wallace, echoed this by bringing attention to the delay in driver announcements.
Despite these speculations, Bowman’s performance on the track has been commendable, finishing fifth in the first playoff race at Atlanta and moving up to sixth place in the playoff standings.
Bowman, who is contracted through the end of 2026, expressed his frustration over these persistent rumors.
“That rumor has certainly been annoying. Obviously, my contract is through the end of 2026 and all I can tell you is what my bosses have told me and that there’s no plans to change anything. Rumors are just rumors.
“Hopefully, they’ll get their announcements done so my rumors stop. As far as I know, I’m driving the 48 next year and nothing’s changing,” he said.
In terms of performance, Bowman has had a solid season with one victory at the Chicago street race, seven top-five finishes, and thirteen top-ten finishes. He needs just one more strong race to secure his spot in the Round of 12, which could further solidify his standing within the team.
The driver continued:
“I trust my bosses and that’s what they’ve told me. Other than that, just focusing on trying to be strong for the next 10 weeks.
“Every conversation I’ve had with my bosses — it’s unfortunate rumors and it’s rumors we’re really not a part of, which makes it difficult.
“I don’t think there’s any plans or anything on the HMS side and I think the rumors have started on the other side of things.
“So, hopefully when they get their announcement on what the other side is doing on that rumor, then it’ll kind of go away for me,” he explained.
The confirmation from Hendrick is significant as it not only reinforces Bowman’s status within one of NASCAR’s top teams but also helps stabilize the internal dynamics at Hendrick Motorsports. The swift action to address these rumors ensures that Bowman can remain focused on his racing for the next ten weeks without distraction.
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