Connor Zilisch Signs Multi-Year Deal With Hendrick Motorsports to Drive No. 48 Starting in 2028

Hendrick Motorsports confirmed Monday that Connor Zilisch has signed a multi-year contract to drive the team’s iconic No. 48 Chevrolet beginning in 2028, ending months of speculation about who would replace retiring veteran Alex Bowman. The 20-year-old Trackhouse Racing rookie will inherit one of NASCAR’s most storied rides, with Ally remaining as full-season sponsor, and the announcement instantly reshapes the sport’s driver market heading into 2027.

Zilisch is in the middle of his rookie Cup Series campaign, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing after Justin Marks signed him to a driver-development contract in January 2024, when Zilisch was just 17. Before reaching the Cup Series, Zilisch built one of the most decorated development resumes in recent memory, winning 13 races across 45 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, including a 10-win, regular-season championship campaign in 2025 that made him one of the most hyped prospects in the garage.

Why Hendrick Moved Now

The move stems directly from Bowman’s retirement plans. Bowman, an eight-time Cup Series race winner who has driven for Hendrick since 2018, signed a one-year extension in July before announcing he would step away from full-time competition after the 2027 season. That timeline let Hendrick lock in Zilisch without any contract complications, since his Trackhouse deal also runs through 2027. Rick Hendrick made clear the decision came down to more than raw speed. “Connor is a truly gifted young racer,” Hendrick said in a statement. “His talent behind the wheel is exceptional, but I’m even more impressed by the person he is. When someone with that kind of ability and character becomes available, you do everything you can to bring them into your organization.” Zilisch called the opportunity a childhood dream realized, saying, “This is one of those moments you dream about as a kid. Hendrick Motorsports has always represented the standard in our sport, and being entrusted to help continue that legacy means everything to me.”

The No. 48 carries serious weight in the sport’s history. Jimmie Johnson drove it to seven championships before Bowman took over in 2021, and Ally has backed the car every season since 2019. Handing that ride to a 20-year-old signals how highly Hendrick, which has won more Cup Series titles than any organization in NASCAR, views Zilisch’s long-term ceiling, even as his rookie season has been a grind. He currently sits 34th in points through 24 races, with a series-high eight DNFs and just one top-10 finish, a seventh-place run at Sonoma Raceway in June. Despite the rough results, Zilisch remains on track to win Rookie of the Year, since two-time race winner Corey Heim isn’t eligible for the honor.

What It Means for Trackhouse

For Trackhouse Racing, the news is bittersweet in the most literal sense. Marks built his program around developing Zilisch and now has to prepare for life without him, even though the driver isn’t leaving for another year and a half. “It’s a bittersweet moment for Trackhouse, but I am truly happy for Connor to get an opportunity that many drivers only dream of,” Marks said. “While our goal was always to have him in our cars for the long term, I’m still excited for the opportunity we have with him now and in 2027. At Trackhouse, our mandate remains to work hard, accomplish big things with Connor while we have him, and position this 88 Chevy team to move into the 2028 NASCAR Cup season ready for a new, inspiring, and talented driver that will author the next chapter in this amazing book we are writing. But not yet.”

The timing creates a bigger headache than just one open seat. Zilisch, Ross Chastain, and Shane van Gisbergen all have contracts expiring at the end of 2027, meaning Trackhouse’s entire three-car lineup is theoretically available the same offseason Zilisch departs. With Zilisch already gone, rival organizations are reportedly circling both Chastain, one of the sport’s most popular drivers, and van Gisbergen, widely regarded as the best road-course talent in the field. How Marks navigates retaining even one of those two will shape whether Trackhouse remains a contender or has to rebuild its lineup from scratch heading into 2028. Fans tracking how these storylines might shift the sport’s championship odds can check the latest futures markets as the driver carousel continues to take shape.