For a while, the big story of this silly season was expected to be Stewart-Haas Racing drivers finding new teams. However, recent chatter suggests that the major changes might actually occur in 2025. Surprisingly, speculation now points to Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman potentially leaving the team.
The rumors about Bowman’s future began with Brett Griffin’s comments on the DBC podcast. Griffin suggested, “I’d say Alex Bowman is out, and he may be out earlier than the playoffs if he exits in the first round.” Journalist Austin Konenski added to the speculation, mentioning on X, “I’ve been skeptical, but the buzz is growing. The seats are definitely warming up. Maybe 2026 is a better guess? The NASCAR silly season is very fluid!”
Despite Bowman securing a playoff spot with a win at Chicago, his track performances haven’t been particularly impressive. To provide some context, Kyle Larson leads the playoff standings, having lost the regular season championship to Tyler Reddick by a single point. Larson has achieved four wins, ten Top 5s, and thirteen Top 10s in 25 starts. His teammate, William Byron, won the Daytona 500 this year, adding two more wins, eight Top 5s, and thirteen Top 10s. While Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman have similar stats with one win each, seven and six Top 5s, and twelve Top 10s each, Elliott has an edge with a championship title.
Elliott has consistently finished in the Top 10 every season since joining HMS in 2015, except for last season when he missed six races due to a snowboarding accident. In contrast, Bowman only managed this once in 2020, finishing sixth. Like Elliott, Bowman missed races in 2022 and 2023 due to injuries.
Bowman’s win at the Chicago street race might have been a crucial boost, but he currently sits 12th among his teammates with the fewest points. While it seemed the relationship between HMS and Bowman was solid, recent developments suggest that changes could be on the horizon before next season. This speculation opens up the question of who might replace Bowman in the #48 Chevy, with Kyle Busch being a popular guess.
Fans are eager to see Busch return to Hendrick Motorsports. Although Busch and Richard Childress Racing have made progress since the Olympic break, he might consider his future with RCR, especially if he’s nearing retirement and doesn’t want to remain a mid-pack driver in 2025. Busch is under contract with RCR until the end of 2025, so moving to another team would likely require a significant buyout. Hendrick Motorsports could potentially handle this scenario.
Earlier in the season, Busch expressed openness to returning to Hendrick Motorsports if the opportunity arose. However, his contentious exit from HMS in 2007 might make this move unlikely, though his more subdued behavior since then could change the dynamic.
Some have speculated that Busch might take the #84 car, now that Kyle Larson drives the #5. This move would need Jimmie Johnson’s approval if he decides to run part-time next year. The idea of Busch in the #84 Hendrick Chevrolet sponsored by Ally is intriguing to many.
The flurry of speculation has left fans both excited and confused about the state of the Cup Series garage. The uncertainty surrounding Bowman’s future and the potential for Busch’s return has stirred up considerable buzz. This ongoing drama promises to make the 2025 season particularly thrilling for fans.
