NASCAR mailbag: Why Hendrick Motorsports selected Alex Bowman to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Each week, SB Nation's NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi answers your questions about the latest news and happenings within the sport. If you have a future mailbag question, email jordanmbianchi@gmail.com.

Why Alex Bowman? Was it just because he did well last year driving the 88 and Dale Jr. loves him? Something more? Hendrick could get any driver it wants, so picking someone so unproven seems different.

— Jim

A popular question in the wake of Hendrick Motorsports announcing Bowman would be Earnhardt’s successor in 2018. And the answer is that there is no singular reason but many factors in play.

Working in Bowman’s favor was his successful 10-race stint substituting for Earnhardt last season — including a near-win at Phoenix International Raceway — which presented tangible proof he could get it done with a big-time organization. Then there’s his existing relationship with primary sponsors Nationwide and Axalta, along with crew chief Greg Ives and the rest of the No. 88 team, all of which will help ease the transition on the track and off it, and if all goes to plan, ensure that Earnhardt’s soon-to-be former team remains competitive.

It also didn’t hurt that Bowman had Earnhardt lobbying on his behalf. With NASCAR’s most popular driver possessing a good eye for talent and maintaining he will continue to have a presence around the team even in retirement, thereby allowing him to act as Bowman’s mentor, Rick Hendrick had a compelling case before him for why he should make the hire without hesitation.

But now that he’s been named Earnhardt’s replacement, the pressure is on Bowman to perform. Hendrick only signed him to a one-year deal, effectively making 2018 a “prove it” season where if Bowman does well, he’ll continue driving the No. 88 Chevrolet beyond 2018. And if not, 19-year-old sensation William Byron is still in the Hendrick pipeline and an option if things unravel to the degree a change is required.

What’s going to happen with Matt Kenseth the rest of the season now that he’s going to leave Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the season? Should I just assume the team will pay no attention to Matt and instead focus exclusively on its other three drivers?

— Derick

Many instances, a driver and team headed for a split would inevitably result in a performance decline where those involved are looking ahead, worried about their futures and not focusing on the present. This shouldn’t be the case with Kenseth and JGR.

What’s stood out about the divorce between the two is how fondly Joe Gibbs, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin have spoken about Kenseth — Busch and Hamlin were key players in recruiting Kenseth to join JGR in 2013 — with all saying that they wish circumstances were different so Kenseth could stay with the organization. Gibbs has been particularly wistful about the situation, mentioning how he was essentially forced in jettisoning Kenseth in favor of Erik Jones due to factors beyond his control (Jones’ contract, sponsorship, NASCAR’s limit on four cars per team).

These strong feelings should help curb any resentment, assuring Kenseth’s final races with JGR end positively. That much was obvious Sunday where Kenseth was in contention all afternoon, and had he gotten four fresh tires on his final pit stop instead of two, had an excellent chance to leave New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a win.

Another consideration, Kenseth isn’t lacking for motivation. He still doesn’t have a ride for 2018, and it’s looking increasingly likely there won’t be a prominent seat open, giving him plenty of incentive to maximize his remaining time in a situation where he has top-notch equipment at his disposal.

Because if this is the conclusion to his eventual Hall of Fame career, he’ll certainly want it to end memorably; something he’ll have ample opportunity to do over the next 17 races.

Kyle Larson is great, that’s obvious. So why then does his team think it has to push it going through inspection and giving him a car that isn’t legal? Do they not realize their driver doesn’t need an illegal car to go fast?

— Steve

Pushing right up against the limits of what’s authorized and what isn’t is how teams are conditioned to operate. Every team, every race.

In a sport where a split second is the difference between winning and finishing mid-pack, crew chiefs are always willing to take chances in finding any advantage they can — even if their driver is an all-world talent like Larson. Jeff Gordon’s Hall of Fame crew chief, Ray Evernham, was notorious for working in the gray area of the rulebook. That’s not a knock, but it’s the reality of racing where engineering ingenuity can mean as much as a driver’s skill set.

Still, there are downsides to continually running afoul of NASCAR’s inspectors. The 35 points Larson was docked a week ago could prove costly in the playoffs — the difference between advancing to the next round and elimination.

A driver’s reputation is also affected when his team regularly racks up violations. Even though his No. 48 team hasn’t been flagged for a serious offense since 2013, Jimmie Johnson is still viewed by many fans as someone who wins championships not because of his ability but because of Chad Knaus’ perceived disregard for following procedures.

But winning is the name of the game, and as Larson and Chip Ganassi Racing have demonstrated continually over the past 12 months, what they’re doing is working. After all, Larson did finish second Sunday despite starting 39th and with a car that cleared post-race inspection.