Before the 2026 season began, everyone knew Alex Bowman was on the hot seat. While a driver capable of a win or two a season, his lack of consistency always saw him lagging behind his teammates. But the start of the 2026 season made his seat hotter and highlighted another problem Bowman has had throughout his career.

He missed a whole month of racing because he suffered from a case of vertigo. Not only is it the third time since 2022 that he missed multiple races, but now it’ll be a Herculean task to make the 2026 Chase. It’s no longer win, and you’re in, but based on consistency, missing four races is a near-death sentence when trying to compete for a championship.

All this is why rumors have come out that a Hendrick Development driver will replace Bowman in the 48 for 2027. But who are the candidates for Bowman’s season?

No. 5 Joey Logano!

A long shot, and part of this is how frustrating it is to find information on Cup Series drivers’ contracts. With some drivers having no info on their contracts, while most are locked into “multi-year” deals. With no end date even brought up. I chose Logano for a couple of reasons why he could be a candidate to replace Alex Bowman.

He signed his multiyear deal back in 2022, making it more likely than a lot of drivers that his deal is close to wrapping up. But also, if there’s a top driver who would leave his team for the always greener pastures of Hendrick Motorsports, it would be him. Because the three-time champion has been on a steady decline for a while in the Team Penske 22, one that a driver at 36 should not be going through.

Since 2019, Logano has had fewer top-fives, top-tens, and average finishes, going from consistently one of the top performers in the Cup Series to barely making the playoffs, and now, after Watkins Glen, seeing himself outside the Chase. Dropping from back-to-back seasons in 2019 and 2020 with 21 top tens to having back-to-back seasons with 17 top tens in 2022 and 2023, then having 13 top tens back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. His average finish in 2019 was 10.8, while in 2024 it dropped to 17.1. With it being 22.4 after the Glen in 2026, which also sees him drop outside the’ 16-man Chase, now 18th in the standings.

How much of that is really Logano’s fault isn’t something we can know right now. But there are factors outside his control that we can speculate are negatively affecting his results. In the 23XI and FRM lawsuit against NASCAR. It was revealed in court documents that “Tier A,” aka top-tier Ford teams, only get $1 million each from the billion-plus-car manufacturer. And this season, for the first time in decades, Ford did not have a single car entered in the O’Reilly Series race for Darlington.

This heavily suggests that the blue oval, like many corporate entities, has lost interest in NASCAR. Hence, they haven’t finished at the top of the manufacturer standings in the Cup Series since 2020. Despite Team Penske alone taking four Cup Series titles and Roush’s revival under Keselowski’s co-ownership, going back to being able to contend for wins week to week.

All this makes hopping to Chevy’s flagship team, Hendrick Motorsports, and replacing Alex Bowman in the 48, a very attractive prospect to a driver like Logano. Who wants to show the racing world he still has what it takes to be competitive every week with the right backing. And many Hendrick fans would be happy getting flashbacks to the juggernaut 2009 roster.

No. 4 Carson Kvapil!

Chevy has a ton of development drivers, and there are only so many Cup seats to put them in. But what seat better than the same car that brought Hendrick and Chevy seven championships with Jimmie Johnson and many wins and great moments with Alex Bowman behind the wheel.

Chevy has so many that Carson Kvapil is likely far from the first driver you think of in the Chevy development pipeline. But quietly, he’s been one of Chevy’s most impressive young drivers since going full-time with JRM Chevy’s lead development team. He has built quite an amazing resume in the late-model racing world, all before reaching age 23.

Finishing fourth in last year’s Xfinity standings and earning the sixth-best average finish in his rookie season. And has won multiple CARS Tour championships in different divisions, in 2021, 22 and 2023. Plus won major late model races like the 2022 Window World 125, the 2022 Old North State Nationals, the 2024 ValleyStar Credit Union 300, and the 2024 Icebreaker 125. Pretty impressive for a 22-year-old.

But all the major Late Model wins can’t make up for a giant hole in that resume of his. The fact that he still hasn’t won an O’Reilly Series race yet. He’s come close many times, finishing second three times last season, and even earning a runner-up finish at Dover during his part-time stint in 2024 before JRM signed him full-time. And his 2025 shows his consistency, which matters more now with the Chase. But signing a driver who hasn’t yet won a NASCAR race at any of the top three levels to replace Alex Bowman in the 48, the same 48 that won seven titles with JJ, is an awkward look.

Plus, Kvapil isn’t off to the hottest start to the 2026 season. Finding himself eighth in the points with only five top fives and five top tens in the first thirteen races of the year. Part of the drop-off (a small drop-off that is) is that he isn’t the most stable driver in the garage in terms of the ride. Being full-time but in three different cars, the 1, 9, and 91 on two different teams, JRM and DGM. Add the 88 he drove part-time in 2024, and Carson Kvapil has driven more car numbers than he has years in the series.

But that leads me to my next point, since it’s why he finds himself in between so many rides and why he won’t be a first choice for many Cup owners. His lack of sponsorship. Dale Jr., the oh-so-popular team owner of JRM, even admitted that Kvapil wasn’t retained in the 1 for the full 2026 season because he couldn’t find sponsorship for him. And if Dale Jr can’t find sponsorship for you, you have a problem.

The stunt he did with Arby’s and the meat seat going viral could be the start of something promising, especially with the fast-food joint having looked for a NASCAR representative for a few years now. And if Hendrick decides to replace Alex Bowman with Carson Kvapil or another team decides to take a leap on the son of Travis Kvapil, they’ll get a very fast and dependable driver with a very high ceiling.

No. 3 Kyle Busch!

Even before the season started, rumors were abound that Kyle Busch would be leaving RCR after not earning a single Cup win with the team since 2023. And the start of 2026 hasn’t helped matters; in fact, they’ve done the opposite. It took ten races for Kyle Busch to even earn his first top ten of the season. The same driver who, in 2019, tied Morgan Shepard’s record for the most consecutive top-10 finishes to start a season with 11. And Kyle Busch noticeably isn’t happy at all.

But after RCR fired his crew chief midseason, he’s already accomplished two top tens in the last three races. And when the Truck race at Dover, in a truck sponsored by Hendrickcars.com, by the way. So it shows the passion and skill haven’t yet gone from the two-time Cup Series champion, and that with the right people around him, he can still crank out quality results. And where in motorsport can you find more of the right people than Hendrick Motorsports?

But replacing Alex Bowman wouldn’t only mean an uptick in results and going to the better-supported Chevy. It would also be a return home. With Hendrick Motorsports being the first team he ever drove for in the Cup Series, he earned his first-ever Cup Series victory and postseason appearance in his career with the No.5. The No.5 is now taken up by another Kyle, Kyle Larson, who’s won two championships, so I doubt he’s given up his number. However, it would still be a full circle moment to end his Cup career at the team that helped start it. And if there’s any sport that loves full-circle moments, it’s NASCAR.

But of course, the best team in NASCAR won’t bend over backward to give a driver who won two titles at JGR one last shot at glory. But Hendrick does get something from this that isn’t purely his talent, experience, and feedback. Many of the young prospects, like Caruth and Kvapil, are very raw. Showing heavy promise, but all lacking something important. Like consistency or winning speed.

Not only could Kyle Busch serve as a great filler driver until one of their young drivers is ready, but he can help those drivers get ready for Cup better than most. From 2010 to 2023, Kyle Busch himself helped develop many of the Cup drivers on the grid who are now regularly winning Cup races. With his championship-winning Truck team, Kyle Busch Motorsports. A team that won 100 different races and two driver championships, producing drivers like Christopher Bell, William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, and many more.

With Kyle Busch’s leadership style different from Dale Jr. ‘s, the owner of the Hendrick and Chevy O’Reilly team, JRM. It’s plausible he could take a driver under his wing and get something out of them that no one else in the Hendrick camp can. And get them up to speed and ready to replace Busch in Cup sooner rather than later. And if not, his years of experience developing drivers would still help in a general sense.

No. 2 Connor Zilisch!

As recent rumors suggest, TrackHouse thought it had its hands on NASCAR’s next generational talent, but, like Bill Davis with Jeff Gordon, it might be a pit stop before teaming up with NASCAR’s ever-present empire. He stole headlines when he won in his Watkins Glen debut in the Xfinity Series at only 18 years old.

Something that quickly shot him into the stratosphere of stardom, and he would live up to the hype. Winning ten races the next season with a historically dominant season, letting motorsports fans everywhere know there was a new generational talent in NASCAR. By then, Trackhouse had already put pen to paper and signed him to a development deal. Zilisch even did three races with Trackhouse in the Cup Series during 2025.

Trackhouse, however, in the words of co-owner Justin Marks, is “rebuilding.” And fans have noticed. SVG’s Watkins Glen only papers so many of the cracks that are forming more and more by the day. Ross Chastain, who was a title contender in 2022, now finds himself looking outside the sixteen-man Chase, twelve races into the season. As he is nineteenth in the points. And Zilisch himself has been far worse off.

Not many people expected Zilisch to be that competitive, considering many young drivers have been struggling to adapt to the Next Gen. But most expected he would have a top ten by now. But while he did put on a valiant effort at the Glen, almost winning, he’s still 32nd in the standings. With no top-10s and even below Cody Ware in the standings after Las Vegas.

Not to mention Trackhouse, which has been as successful as they’ve been in recent years. Especially in putting their name into the mainstream conversation. They’re a brand-new team that’s only been around since 2021. Compare that to the stable foundation of being around since the 80s, being the defending champions, the 387 wins in the Cup Series alone, and 15 Cup Series championships. Will always make Hendrick an attractive prospect for any up-and-coming stock car prodigies.

We don’t know when Zilisch’s “multi-year” deal with Trackhouse ends, but we know Hendrick is looking into it, shaking up Trackhouse’s future the same way they did Yates in 92. Zilisch could also buy out his contract and go to Hendrick as an FA, or if his deal ends in 2027, announce his departure from the team early while Hendrick hires a filler driver for 2026. A risk for sure, but one I’m sure any team owner would be willing to take for someone with Zilisch’s raw talent.

We could also see the rare NASCAR trade. As Hendrick would trade Alex Bowman to Trackhouse in exchange for the Red Bull-backed Zilisch. In 2025, we say Lajoie gets traded to RWR in exchange for Justin Haley towards the end of the season. Before, both drivers were cut by their brand-new teams. This would be on a much larger scale, however. Being a trade between two top teams.

On paper, Trackhouse loses this trade easily, losing NASCAR’s greatest young talent in Alex Bowman, a driver who’s never finished top five in points and is 33. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its benefits, especially for a rebuilding team. Alex Bowman is a perfect driver for a rebuilding team.

His mix of speed and experience makes him perfect for a team to build around, and Alex Bowman’s experience could provide Trackhouse with valuable feedback it could use to get back on its feet. Alex Bowman could serve a similar role on the 87 team as Daniel Suarez did for the 99 TrackHouse team. Being a driver who’s been on top teams and can provide insight into how they do things to help Trackhouse get back to their level.

No. 1 Corey Day!

Kyle Larson’s protege, who’s in the middle of his first full-time O’Reilly season. Has already impressed many, especially after his performance in Dover. He took his second O’Reilly Series after less than a season’s total starts in the series. Also winning at Talladega earlier this year. Finding himself fourth in the NOAPS standings almost halfway through the season.

Day’s star rose the day he went toe to toe with Hendrick’s current main man, Kyle Larson, at only 18 years old. His quick rise through the dirt ranks and making his name known with accomplishments, such as in 2021, when he became the youngest driver to win a USAC race. Or in 2023, when he won both the King of the West Sprint Car Series and the Make-A-Wish Trophy Cup championships.

Kyle Larson saw a lot of talent in the young Day, and he wasn’t the only driver to do so. As a fellow dirt track racer turned into a Hendrick legend, Jeff Gordon, who’s now Rick Hendrick’s right-hand man. Who endorsed Day to the big H himself alongside Larson. Paralleling Alex Bowman’s rise to Hendrick, being off the back of a different Hendrick driver recommendation, with Dale Jr advocating for Alex Bowman to get his seat.

When Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon say someone is the real deal, it certainly gets your attention,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, in an article written by Joseph Srigley. “Corey comes from a great racing family and in a short time has shown a level of talent that sets him apart. What he’s already accomplished at this point in his career speaks volumes, and it’s been impressive to see how quickly he’s adapted to pavement. We’re excited to welcome him to our team.”

Clearly, Rick Hendrick believes in Day’s potential, and with his incredible start to the 2026 O’Reilly season, it puts him in pole position to replace Alex Bowman in the 48. With NASCAR being in an arms race for young talent right now, Zilisch at Trackhouse, as previously mentioned, Heim at 23XI, Crews, and Ty Gibbs at JGR, and Layne Riggs, plus Chandler Smith for FRM. There’s no way NASCAR’s most successful team ever wouldn’t get in on this dogfight.

And with Day’s hot start to life in O’Reilly, even after a rocky start. Only showing flashes of speed in his part-time starts in Xfinity and Trucks in 2024 and 2025. Then, the start of the O’Reilly Series this year saw him anger many fans and drivers alike with his over-aggressive driving. He’s proving that was indeed a learning experience and that he learns quickly, with him being one of the series most consistent drivers so far. Even doing better than his mentor Larson, as he already has two more wins than Larson did in his lone Nationwide Series season with TSR.

Surely means Hendrick would be keen on promoting him. After all, the best way to keep a young talent is to put him in your best available rides. But even if Rick chooses a veteran to replace Alex Bowman in the short term, we know Day is grateful for the opportunity.

“This is a dream scenario,” Day said in the same Joseph Srigley piece. “I’m grateful to Mr. Hendrick and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group for providing a platform to grow and compete at this level. There’s still a lot to learn on pavement, but having such incredible support gives me a ton of confidence. I’m ready to work hard and take in as much as I can. It’s going to be a fun year.”

Thanks a bunch for reading!