NASCAR: Kyle Larson deal leaves one Hendrick seat open

There is just one Hendrick Motorsports driver without a contact beyond the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season following Kyle Larson’s new deal.

Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday that reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson and primary sponsor HendrickCars.com have signed contract extensions that run through the 2026 season.

The 30-year-old Elk Grove, California native had previously been under contract with Rick Hendrick’s team to drive the #5 Chevrolet through the 2023 season after signing an extension last year, his first year with the organization.

The move means that Hendrick Motorsports now have three drivers under contract through 2025. Before the 2022 season started, 2020 champion Chase Elliott, who had been set to enter a contract year, signed an extension to remain behind the wheel of the #9 Chevrolet through 2027.

Then William Byron, also in a contract year, signed an extension to remain behind the wheel of the #24 Chevrolet through 2025.

However, Alex Bowman has not signed a new deal this year.

Bowman, like Larson, signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports last year to remain with the team through the 2023 season. However, he is still set to enter a contract year next year.

Bowman has been with Hendrick Motorsports since replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel of the #88 Chevrolet in 2018. After the retirement of seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson following the 2020 season, Bowman moved over to the #48 Chevrolet, with Ally Financial continuing to sponsor the car.

Whether or not Bowman signs for what would be a seventh season with Hendrick Motorsports in 2024 remains to be seen, and it has become a talking point as the focus slowly but surely shifts to next year’s silly season.

Bowman finished as the lowest Hendrick Motorsports in the driver in the standings last year, despite winning four races, and he finished this year’s regular season as the only one of the four without multiple victories, also as the lowest in the standings.

There is still time for him to prove he deserves what his three teammates have earned this year, but that time can also be used for Hendrick Motorsports to evaluate all of their options.

Aside from Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing has been listed among Bowman’s way-too-early possibilities for 2024. They are planning to expand from two to three cars to add Kyle Busch to their lineup for 2023, but with Tyler Reddick set to join 23XI Racing in 2024, they would be left with an open seat, provided their goal is to continue on with three entries.