Hendrick Motorsports taps Alex Bowman to drive No. 48 Ally Chevrolet in 2021

Rhea-AI Summary

Ally Financial will continue its full-season primary sponsorship of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Alex Bowman in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series. Bowman, enjoying a career-best year with multiple top 10 rankings, will be paired with crew chief Greg Ives, who has a successful record with the team. Ally has been the primary sponsor for two years and is committed to expanding NASCAR's reach. The partnership is expected to enhance team performance as Bowman transitions from the No. 88 entry, with the season concluding on November 8, 2020.

Positive

• Ally Financial continues full-season primary sponsorship of No. 48 car, reinforcing its brand presence in NASCAR.
• Alex Bowman ranks in the top 10 of several major NASCAR categories, indicating strong performance and potential for future success.
• Partnership with experienced crew chief Greg Ives enhances team dynamics and strategic advantage.

Negative

• None.

CONCORD, N.C., Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning with the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Alex Bowman will drive the iconic No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE of Hendrick Motorsports with full-season primary sponsorship from Ally.

The 27-year-old Bowman is enjoying a career-best year at NASCAR's highest level. With five races remaining in the season, the Tucson, Arizona, native ranks in the top 10 in major statistical categories including stage wins, stage points, playoff points, total points, laps led, and average running position. He punched his 2020 playoff ticket on March 1 with a dominant victory at Auto Club Speedway.

Bowman will continue to be paired with crew chief Greg Ives, who won five Cup Series championships while serving as the No. 48 team's engineer from 2006-2012. Ives, 41, was part of 42 wins, 113 top-five finishes and 21 pole positions with the team before beginning a successful career as a crew chief that has included the 2014 NASCAR Xfinity Series title and five Cup-level race wins. Together, he and Bowman have secured three straight playoff berths and delivered a victory in each of the last two seasons.

"We have tremendous faith in this team," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Every season, Alex gets better. Not only do we see it in the statistics, but his confidence and leadership have truly blossomed. Today he's a proven winner and playoff contender, and his best years are ahead. Greg has won championships and races, and he brings the No. 48 pedigree that's invaluable. When you add in the amazing enthusiasm and support from Ally, it's quite a combination. Their partnership makes it all possible, and we look forward to celebrating many successes together in the future."

For the last two years, Ally has been the sole primary sponsor of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. In 2020, the company is heavily supporting the celebration of its current driver, seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, who next month will complete his final full-time season. In October 2019, Ally and Hendrick Motorsports extended their relationship through 2023.

Johnson is a supporter of Bowman's move to the No. 48 team.

"Alex is absolutely the right driver to carry on the legacy of the No. 48 – and he deserves a sponsor as committed as he is," said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer for Ally. "He's young, hungry to win and ready to give it all he has. We're eager to make the most of his energy and dedication to build more momentum for racing, find new ways to disrupt the sport and help broaden NASCAR's reach even further."

Bowman and Ives remain in the hunt for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship after advancing to the playoffs Round of 12. Following the season, which concludes Nov. 8, the duo will transition to the No. 48 team from the No. 88 entry they have campaigned together since 2018. Hendrick Motorsports will announce plans for that team at a later date.

"I've worked my entire life to be in a situation like this," Bowman said. "The opportunity to drive a legendary car like the '48' with incredible support from Ally, it truly can't get any better. I'm excited to build on my relationship with Greg, who is a championship-caliber crew chief and knows first-hand what the No. 48 is all about. The pieces are in place, and I'm grateful to Mr. Hendrick and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports and Ally. We're ready to do it right.

"I can't put my respect for Jimmie into words. To me, the No. 48 team's legacy is about winning, but also how you go about your business. It's leadership, confidence, work ethic, being a professional and holding yourself to a higher standard. No one will ever be Jimmie, and he's given us a championship blueprint to follow."

About Ally Financial:
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a leading digital financial-services company with $184.1 billion in assets as of June 30, 2020. As a customer centric company with passionate customer service and innovative financial solutions, we are relentlessly focused on "Doing it Right" and being a trusted financial-services provider to our consumer, commercial, and corporate customers. We are one of the largest full-service automotive finance operations in the country and offer a wide range of financial services and insurance products to automotive dealerships and consumers. Our award-winning online bank (Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender) offers mortgage lending, personal lending, and a variety of deposit and other banking products, including savings, money-market, and checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Additionally, we offer securities-brokerage and investment-advisory services through Ally Invest. Our robust corporate finance business offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies.

For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.

For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://media.ally.com.

About Hendrick Motorsports:
Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 260 points-paying race victories and a record 12 car owner championships in the premier NASCAR Cup Series. The organization fields four full-time Chevrolet teams on the Cup circuit with drivers Chase Elliott, William Byron, Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman. Headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs more than 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com or interact on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Contacts:

Jesse Essex
Hendrick Motorsports
704-455-3400
jessex at hmsracing dot com

Ann Smith
Ally Financial
Ann.Smith@ally.com

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SOURCE Ally Financial

FAQ

What will Alex Bowman's role be in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series with Ally?

Alex Bowman will drive the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE sponsored by Ally in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series.

What is Ally Financial's involvement in NASCAR?

Ally Financial is the full-season primary sponsor of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE driven by Alex Bowman.

How has Alex Bowman's performance been in the current NASCAR season?

Alex Bowman is having a career-best year, ranking in the top 10 in several key statistical categories.

Who is Alex Bowman's crew chief for the upcoming NASCAR season?

Greg Ives will continue as Alex Bowman's crew chief for the 2021 season.

When does the current NASCAR season conclude?

The current NASCAR season concludes on November 8, 2020.