NASCAR: 5 drivers who could replace Tyler Reddick

Possible Tyler Reddick replacements: No. 2 – Alex Bowman

Following the announcement that reigning NASCAR Cup Series Kyle Larson had signed a contract extension to remain with Hendrick Motorsports behind the wheel of the #5 Chevrolet through the 2026 season, there is just one open seat at Rick Hendrick’s team after the 2023 season.

Chase Elliott had already signed with the team to continue driving the #9 Chevrolet through the 2027 season, and William Byron had already signed with the team to continue driving the #24 Chevrolet through the 2025.

That only seat currently without a driver through 2025 belongs to Alex Bowman, who signed an extension last year to continue driving the Ally Financial-sponsored #48 Chevrolet through 2023.

Bowman has been with the team since replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel of the #88 Chevrolet in 2018, and he moved to the #48 Chevrolet as Jimmie Johnson’s replacement in 2021.

But there have been doubts about Bowman’s future with the team, given the fact that he finished as the lowest Hendrick Motorsports driver in last year’s standings and the lowest Hendrick Motorsports driver in this year’s regular season standings, as well as the fact that he was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver without multiple wins in this year’s regular season.

There is, of course, still time for Bowman to prove he deserves what each of his three teammates have gotten this year: a contract extension.

But this is also time which Hendrick Motorsports can use to assess all their options, and it is time which Bowman can use to potentially line up a deal with another team — preferably another Chevrolet team.

With Tyler Reddick guaranteed to have moved on from Richard Childress Racing by 2024, perhaps it would be a smart move for Bowman to start angling himself toward that seat sooner rather than later.