Information broke Thursday that Alex Bowman will retire on the finish of the 2027 NASCAR Cup Collection season, capping a stable Cup profession for the Tucson, Arizona, native.
Bowman can be simply 34 when he retires, a really younger age for contemporary Cup drivers to retire. However it appears that evidently his retirement, which comes after years of accidents plagued him, is not as sudden as initially thought.
“I bear in mind once I first got here to Hendrick Motorsports [in 2016] having a sit-down with monetary advisor, as a result of I used to be lastly truly making a living,” Bowman informed Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, “And speaking about, ‘How lengthy are you going to race for? What are your plans?’ That was 10 years in the past now.
“The very first thing I stated was, I am not doing this previous 35. It is at all times sort of been … I’ve plenty of issues I wish to do in my life that I can not do whereas I am driving.”
The aforementioned accidents — a concussion in 2022, a again damage in 2023 and vertigo earlier this season — additionally contributed to Bowman’s choice.
Why Alex Bowman is retiring after 2027
“That actually made issues robust,” Bowman stated. “The top damage factor, clearly all of us sort of understand how that stuff stacks up and is not good long-term. After which truthfully, I care a lot about how we run on Sundays. I’ve tried actually exhausting to get higher at letting a nasty weekend go, letting a outcome on Sunday not management my complete life.
“But it surely does. For me, this week’s a first-rate instance. We had a sh— Sunday. I screwed up, thought I used to be clear, was not clear, brought about a crash that ruined a bunch of individuals’s [days]. Seemed like a complete fool. And all week, I am simply so mad at myself that it simply spills over into every part else.”
Bowman stated that his need to be a dad tops the checklist as one of many causes for his retirement.
“I do not wish to be a dad once I’m coming dwelling mad from races,” Bowman stated. “I do not wish to have youngsters doing that. A whole lot of causes, however it’s additionally sort of at all times been the plan. I have a look at guys that race without end and that is tremendous cool, however that is simply not me.”
