NASCAR driver Alex Bowman to retire from full-time racing after 2027 season - NBC Sports

What the report says

NBC Sports, carrying an Associated Press report, says Alex Bowman plans to step away from full-time NASCAR racing after the 2027 season. The announcement came Thursday in Concord, North Carolina, after Bowman, 33, agreed to a one-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports, where he drives the No. 48 Chevrolet.

The report noted that Bowman had been in the final year of his current deal with the powerhouse team. His recent seasons have included multiple health-related absences: he missed four races earlier this year because of vertigo, sat out time in 2022 with a concussion, and was sidelined in 2023 by a back injury. Bowman is currently 29th in the Cup Series standings, outside the 16-driver playoff field.

Bowman said, according to the report, that he had spent significant time considering his future and believes the timing is right, while emphasizing the demands of the sport and the need to listen to his body. He also said his immediate goal is to make the most of his remaining races and contend for wins before ending his full-time career with Hendrick.

Bowman has spent most of his 12-year Cup career with Hendrick Motorsports, collecting eight Cup Series wins and reaching the playoffs seven times since 2018. The 2027 season would be his 10th with the organization. Team owner Rick Hendrick praised Bowman’s contributions and said the team is proud he can finish his full-time career there on his own terms. NBC/AP reported Bowman is expected to pass 400 career Cup starts next season.