HMS star Alex Bowman looks back on controversial 2024 moment that ended his championship hopes, gears for an even better 2025 season

In 2023, Alex Bowman went winless and managed the top 5 on only three occasions. But the Hendrick Motorsports driver bounced back in 2024 with a win at Chicago and six finishes inside the top 5.

Bowman's 2024 campaign came to an unexpected and abrupt end after NASCAR handed him a DSQ result at the Roval which ensured that he was out of the playoffs.

But ahead of the 2025 season, Bowman opened up on his previous year, and the things he needs to improve personally and within the #48 team. He claimed that the rest of the season, the #48 team did 'a really good job.'

Further sharing his thoughts, the HMS driver said:

"Honestly, for me, it was frustrating, but it wasn't something that I really had much to do with or any control over. So, just continuing to try to work hard and to execute at a high level was important to me and I feel like we were able to do that."

Alex Bowman claimed that at the start of the year, the #48 team was 'a bit streaky', further describing the moments where they were 'really consistent' but then fell off. Having said that, he emphasized that as a team, they have a lot of potential and only need to put it all together.

"We have a lot of growth we need to do as a race team on the #48 car. So, continuing to get the guys to grow together and to learn and to get better and I feel like that really showed up in the second half of the year and our performance. So, yeah, on my side of things too, just trying to get better at places that I've struggled at and really get better everywhere. But definitely focus on kind of the weak points sometimes and I think that's a big part of what we do," Bowman added.

Alex Bowman found speculation over his future at HMS 'annoying'

Ahead of the first playoff race at Atlanta in 2024, rumors began to emerge that Alex Bowman wouldn't be a Hendrick driver in the forthcoming season. However, Rick Hendrick, the owner of HMS, cleared once and for all, that Bowman would be their driver in the #48 team.

Bowman also commented on this, claiming that the rumor has 'certainly been annoying.' He said that his contract runs through the end of the 2026 season and his bosses have communicated that there are 'no plans to change anything.'

"As far as I know, I’m driving the 48 next year and nothing’s changing," Bowman claimed.

With that said it'll be interesting to see how the 2025 season fares for Alex Bowman.