Alex Bowman’s 2026 season has tested him in ways that go far beyond the racetrack. A vertigo diagnosis added a physical hurdle at the beginning of the season, while the No. 48 team struggled to match the pace of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates. Just a couple of days ago, he lost his beloved Labrador, Finn, whom he considered his best friend, to cancer.
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Through every setback, however, Bowman has continued to fight, earning praise from within Hendrick Motorsports. Expectedly, he didn’t make it to the Chase, finishing 29th in the regular season standings. Now, Vice President of the organization, Jeff Gordon is highlighting the talent behind Bowman’s turbulent year and explaining why he has never received enough credit for it.
“Alex is a guy that, you know, has had to use different things to motivate him over the years. A lot of it is when people doubt him, you know, or when, you know, things are questionable. And maybe that’s been kind of throughout his career, where maybe he never was given enough credit for his talent. But all I know is, you know, how proud we are to have him as a teammate, how much he’s contributed over the years, and in ways that will maybe not always show up, you know, on the results on Sunday, but in many ways,” Gordon said in a post-race press conference after the Enjoy Illinois 300 in Gateway.
Gordon’s comments came after Bowman delivered the strongest performance of the year. Starting 11th, the Hendrick Motorsports driver emerged as a factor late, finishing second behind Kyle Larson. Bowman repeatedly gave Larson crucial pushes on the late restarts, helping the No. 5 Chevrolet clear Joey Logano and stay in control.
The cooperation became especially important in the closing laps. Larson needed to get away from Logano, one of the strongest restart drivers in the field, and Bowman’s pushes helped create that separation. Even as cautions kept coming, Bowman remained in position to support his teammate, eventually giving Larson the win.
For Gordon, Bowman’s value cannot be measured only through race results. His career has produced eight Cup Series victories, including a breakout four-win campaign in 2021. He put together a record six consecutive front-row starts in the Daytona 500 from 2018 through 2023, taking the pole three times.
Bowman’s connection to racing also extends beyond Cup. He owns and operates Alex Bowman Racing, a Dirt Midget and Sprint car team, giving him a hands-on understanding of race cars and their mechanics. That background has added another layer to his contribution within HMS.
His journey with HMS began in 2016, when he stepped in for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. and shared duties with Gordon himself. Bowman turned that opportunity into a full-time seat in 2018, taking over the No. 88 Chevrolet. After seven-time Cup Series winner Jimmie Johnson retired, Bowman moved into the No. 48 car.
He won at least once in every season from 2019 through 2022, recorded a career-best sixth-place points finish in 2020, and reached the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in seven of his eight full-time seasons with the organization.
Yet his 2026 season has brought a different challenge. It’s been difficult for HMS as a whole to stay competitive, but the others have maintained their status as front-runners. Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron all comfortably made it to the Chase. Bowman, meanwhile, had a slow start to the year — probably due to his vertigo — and never quite found his rhythm, finishing in the top four just three times during the regular season and in the top 10 seven times.
Midway through the campaign, it was also revealed that Connor Zilisch would replace him from 2028 onwards, as Bowman would retire from full-time competition in the Cup Series. The aim was to finish his Cup career with a statement, and Illinois was one of them.
Announcing his retirement, he said in an HMS press release, “My focus now is on making the most of my time on the race track 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.”
Gateway offered a glimpse of what Bowman can still bring to that organization till he is in the driver’s seat. His second-place finish helped Larson secure a long-awaited victory, while his own performance reminded HMS why Gordon believes his talent has often been overlooked.