Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson was set to enter a contract season in 2026, but it was always a matter of when, not if, a new deal would be signed.
That new deal was reached earlier this week, locking the 33-year-old Elk Grove, California native into the No. 5 Chevrolet through at least the 2031 NASCAR Cup Series season.
This new agreement means that three out of four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are under contract through at least the 2027 season. Chase Elliott's deal is currently set to expire after next year, and William Byron's deal was extended through 2029 a year ago.
Alex Bowman, however, remains a pending free agent, and Larson's deal all but solidifies the seat of the No. 48 Chevrolet as one of the warmest, even if not hot quite yet, in the Cup Series garage.
Alex Bowman on the hot seat?
Hendrick Motorsports have generally handed out contract extensions just before the start of seasons in recent years. Bowman's own most recent extension came just before the 2023 season began, tying him to the team through 2026.
Elliott's most recent deal came just before the 2022 season started, tying him to the team through 2027. And now, of course, Larson has re-upped even before the 2026 season has begun.
Of course, that's not to say it's out of the question that Bowman could receive another extension at some point during the 2026 season. Byron didn't sign his newest deal until May 2025, and Larson's most recent extension, prior to this one, was signed in September 2022.
But Byron's extension was a foregone conclusion, amid his fourth consecutive multi-win season and fresh off of his second consecutive Daytona 500 win (and second consecutive Championship 4 appearance), and Larson's previous extension was signed well in advance of when it needed to be, as he was already under contract through 2023 at the time.
Bowman has won just one race since March 2022, while his three teammates all won multiple races in 2025 alone. Additionally, longtime primary sponsor Ally Financial is already tied to the No. 48 Chevrolet through 2028, implying that Hendrick Motorsports are more than happy to keep their eyes open for the time being.
There would certainly be no shortage of drivers vying for an open Hendrick seat, especially since there hasn't been one in six years.
This year's silly season projects to be far more chaotic than last year's, and tying Bowman down long-term does not appear to be a priority, particularly with several other drivers potentially seeking new homes.
But at this point, it appears to be up to Bowman to convince Hendrick Motorsports to keep him in the No. 48 car. By performing at a high level in 2026, he can do everything he can possibly do to prevent Hendrick Motorsports from having any serious reason to look at other options for 2027 and beyond.