Easter Sunday provides a week off for NASCAR Cup Series drivers to rest and focus their attention on the remainder of the season. While the best NASCAR drivers are focused on positioning for The Chase, many may find themselves under real pressure to perform otherwise they will hear a lot of talk about potentially being replaced.
Let's dive into our latest NASCAR hot seat, taking a look at five drivers who could be in danger of losing their Cup Series seats in 2027 before NASCAR's silly season.
Alex Bowman, No. 48 car, Hendrick Motorsports
At this point, we just want to see Alex Bowman stay healthy. Vertigo has sidelined him for most of the season and there is still no timeline for his return. Unfortunately, medical issues have been a major theme of his Cup Series career. It was a proving year for the driver of the No. 48 car, whose contract was about to expire and unfortunately, health problems reared their ugly head again in 2026. Now it seems the question is who Hendrick Motorsports will hire to replace Bowman in 2027, not if they do.
RELATED: Potential Alex Bowman replacement in the No. 48 car
Noah Gragson, No. 4 car, Front Row Motorsports
Through seven races this season, Noah Gragson is 29th in points (93). He is 74 points behind 16th and last place in The Chase and his average finishing position this season is only 23.857, with single-digit points earned in four consecutive races, making a 10-race Chase extremely unlikely. It's not that Front Row Motorsports is printing money as a business; Owner Bob Jenkins admitted during the legal battle against NASCAR that he often lost money on this recreational venture. As stated, FRM suffered monetary damages from the settlement and now has three full-time charters. There should be money to replace Gragson with someone who can either deliver better results over the long term or deliver consistent performance.
RELATED: Early NASCAR Foolish Season Predictions
Riley Herbst, No. 35 car, 23XI Racing
We'll start with good news for Riley Herbst. The 27-year-old has been performing better this season than in his first year as a full-time Cup Series driver. He has also demonstrated that he can be a good teammate and due to his strong ties to Monster Energy, as well as his family's deep wealth, Cup teams will be interested in him. That's great, because 23XI Racing will be replacing Corey Heim as the full-time driver for the No. 35 car next season.
RELATED: Beginner Driver emerges as third card option at Legacy Motor Club in 2027
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 car, HYAK Motorsports
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has some marketability and definitely has some value. However, the veteran driver currently sits 30th in Cup Series points behind Austin Dillon, Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson and Riley Herbst. Stenhouse has finished 25th or worse in five of seven races this year, with four top 10s in his last 44 Cup Series races, and he ranks 35th in average finishing position (24.8) in his last 36 races. In truth, Hyak Motorsports may decide that its best option is to sell its charter to another team and reap the benefits of the new costs for a permanent full-time seat. If that happens, Stenhouse may have to spend his 39 season racing in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Kyle Busch, No. 8 car, Richard Childress Racing
Of all the drivers we're putting on the NASCAR hot seat, Kyle Busch is clearly the one who will find another ride the easiest. He currently sits ninth on the NASCAR Cup Series all-time win list, and his recent success in some Truck Series races shows he still has something left in the tank. That said, it's pretty clear that the No. 8 team and Richard Childress Racing are as fed up with Busch as the future Hall of Famer is with him. Jesse Love will likely drive the No. 8 car, while Busch will get another chance to prove he is still capable of winning Cup Series wins. This win drought and his problems with the Next Gen car suggest that Busch may be a bigger problem than few people would like to admit.
RELATED: NASCAR and historical events during Kyle Busch's winless streak
