Is Kyle Larson Next in Line After Hendrick Motorsports “Reinforced” Alex Bowman’s Decision to Give Up Sprint Car Racing?

It is no secret that Kyle Larson is planning to compete in the Indianapolis 500. This race is pretty much a dream for many American drivers. Just competing in the iconic race is one thing, but winning it and kissing the bricks is completely different. However, there have been some issues that cropped up lately. This is especially true for the Hendrick Motorsports camp, and they likely brought it on themselves.

Recently, Alex Bowman dropped a massive bombshell, ahead of the 2024 Cup Series campaign. As it turns out, he will no longer compete in non-NASCAR activities and just focus on his Cup Series career.

Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he said, “I won’t be in wing sprint car for the foreseeable future. I would say, when I’m done Cup racing, I would love to do the Outlaws. It’s just going to be something that I’m going to push off until I’m at that point in my life. Where it’s what I want to do and its not going to take away from anything else. My job on Sunday is super important to me, and unfortunately this year, I was doing something for fun, that greatly took away from what I do on Sundays.”

When asked if it was his decision or the team’s, he replied, “It was mine at first, I made the decision. Then my decision got reinforced by management.”

What led Alex Bowman and his team to take such a harsh step?

Bowman had a miserable stint in 2023, where he got injured taking part in a non-NASCAR venture and had to be sidelined for 3 races. This also means that he lost 3 chances to make it into the playoffs. Owing to this, he will no longer be a sprint car driver, probably until his Cup career ends. Bowman did confess that he would love to compete in the Outlaw tour, but only after his Cup Series career. Until then, he is perfectly content with putting extracurriculars on the backburner, so that it won’t interfere with NASCAR.

He insisted that his NASCAR Cup career is extremely important. Sadly, something that he did for fun managed to adversely affect his main career. Furthermore, this decision was his own, though the Hendrick Motorsports management did have some input. It was likely the 2023 season that provided the impetus, where he and Chase Elliott got injured and missed a few races at a stretch.

WATCH THIS STORY: Bowman’s Unexpected Career Revelation: “I’m a glorified zoo animal!”

How does this affect Kyle Larson and his non-NASCAR exploits?

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Now Kyle Larson is well-known for being a jack of all trades in motor racing. He has been competing simultaneously in dirt races and NASCAR. However, the injuries to Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman would have cast some serious doubt for Hendrick Motorsports. Now that Bowman is renouncing extra-curricular activities, will the same thing happen for the other three drivers? Especially considering that Kyle Larson is competing in the Indianapolis 500 this year.

The #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver has been preparing for it as he doesn’t want to just compete, he wants to win. However, Bowman’s new revelation could provide a sense of urgency for Kyle Larson because if he does not win the Indy 500 this year, who knows whether he will get another chance?

After all, Hendrick Motorsports have to be a little selfish and think about their NASCAR Cup ambitions. This year, Elliott’s and Bowman’s shenanigans meant that they were at half-strength in the Playoffs. In essence, the team cannot afford a repeat, so all four drivers need to be fighting fit at every race to stand a chance. Now, Larson will have his hands full in convincing the team to allow him to continue racing outside NASCAR circles. So far, the organization is not outright banning racing outside NASCAR. However, they will have to trust their drivers to not injure themselves.

READ MORE: Hendrick Motorsports Influenced Alex Bowman’s Decision to Pull the Plug on Side Endeavors After the Driver’s Disappointing 2023 Season