NASCAR: Chicago street race ends ridiculous silly season rumor

Alex Bowman is already under contract with Hendrick Motorsports through the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, and primary sponsor Ally Bank is under contract with Rick Hendrick's team through the 2028 season.

Yet Bowman's lack of a victory since March 2022, specifically considering the success of all three of his teammates during that stretch, led to speculation that he could be replaced before his contract expires.

The team have never given any indication that they were looking for a new driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet, but that hasn't kept fans from speculating that Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron could have a new teammate as early as 2025.

Those three drivers have combined for 26 wins since Bowman's Las Vegas victory, and all have made a Championship 4 appearance during that stretch.

But Bowman returned to victory lane this past Sunday on the streets of Chicago with his eighth career win, solidifying his spot in the 2024 playoffs.

Even without the win, there never should have been any questions about Bowman's status.

Prior to last year, Bowman had qualified for the playoffs in all five of his seasons with the top-tier Chevrolet team, and he advanced to the round of 12 in all five of those postseason appearances.

He made it to the round of 8 twice, first in 2020 when he finished in a career-high sixth place in the standings and then again in 2021 when he won a career-high four races.

His 2022 playoff bid was derailed due to a concussion he suffered in a wreck at Texas Motor Speedway, knocking him out of five races.

Let's not forget that Bowman led the point standings early on during the 2023 season as well. Through six races, his average finish was 7.0, and he had recorded three top five finishes and an additional two top 10 finishes.

But three races later, he found himself sidelined with a broken back from a sprint car crash. When he returned, it took him 11 races to finish inside the top 10, and he did not qualify for the playoffs.

Now in 2024, Bowman's average finish of 13.8 is the best of his career, and it's only just behind Larson's (13.7) and Byron's (13.3). Bowman has already recorded five top five finishes, and his 11 top 10 finishes are tied for the team lead with Byron. He is on pace for career-highs in both categories.

He's far from flashy, but he continues to get the job done, something he knows he needs to do as long as he's competing for Hendrick's team. And it's something he should continue to get the opportunity to do, considering the fact that his contract is nowhere near its expiration date and there has never been any reason to believe the team will cut ties with him prematurely.