Hendrick Signs Zilisch to Drive No. 48 for 2028 and Beyond
By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer
Hendrick Motorsports has signed Trackhouse Racing’s Connor Zilisch to drive the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro starting with the 2028 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Zilisch will take over the No. 48 Chevrolet from Alex Bowman, who previously announced that he will retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2027 season.
In 2025 Zilisch finished runner-up in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series points standings after earning 10 wins, including streaks of three consecutive wins and four consecutive wins. The Mooresville, N.C. native turned heads when he won from the pole in his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) Int’l in 2024.
The remarkable season for Zilisch in 2025 was not without its own trials and tribulations. He suffered a back injury on the final lap of the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, forcing him to miss the following race at Texas Motor Speedway. Following a win at Watkins Glen later in the year, he fell off of his Chevrolet and suffered a broken collarbone. Zilisch won the following race at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway with the aid of mid-race relief from fellow driver Parker Kligerman.
Throughout each ordeal, and finishing runner-up in the championship, Zilisch remained humble, never changing his character.
“Connor is a truly gifted young racer,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “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. We have tremendous confidence in Connor, and we believe he’s the right driver to build on the legacy of the No. 48 Ally team for many years to come.”
Connor Zilisch. (Photo by Peter Casey / NKP Photo)
The 20-year-old joins a long list of drivers who have had the opportunity to compete for one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history. He described it as a “dream come true” in a video posted to social media.
“This is one of those moments you dream about as a kid,” Zilisch said. “Hendrick Motorsports has always represented the standard in our sport, and being entrusted to help continue that legacy means everything to me. The chance to drive a Chevrolet for Mr. Hendrick, carry the colors of an incredible partner like Ally and compete alongside some of the best drivers and people in racing is what you work so hard for. I’m grateful for the confidence they’ve shown in me, and it’s my job to prove they made the right decision.”
Zilisch is the seventh driver to pilot the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet. He joins full-time drivers Jimmie Johnson and Bowman in the car number’s legacy. Anthony Alfredo, Justin Allgaier, and Josh Berry each took turns filling in when called upon due to injuries for Bowman, or illness for Johnson over the years. Myatt Snider also took the reins of the No. 48 in a mid-race relief driver role for Bowman at Texas’ Circuit of the Americas.
To date the No. 48 has reached victory lane 89 times with Hendrick Motorsports, 83 with Johnson, and six times with Bowman.
“We’ve spent nearly a decade investing in the No. 48’s storied legacy alongside Hendrick Motorsports, and handing the wheel to a driver of Connor’s caliber is such an incredible way to begin another historic chapter,” said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer for Ally. “Connor is an unbelievable talent with the motivation to match, and he understands what it means to represent a brand and a fanbase that care deeply about this car. I’m thrilled to welcome him to the Ally Racing family and cannot wait to do great things together on and off the track.”
Justin Marks Reacts to Connor Zilisch’s 2028 Departure
Zilisch made his Cup Series debut with Trackhouse last year. In 27 starts at the Cup level, he has just one top-10 finish driving for the Justin Marks owned No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet team. Accidents and bad luck have plagued the racing phenom’s rookie season.
“It is a bittersweet moment for Trackhouse, but I am truly happy for Connor to get an opportunity that drivers only dream of,” Marks said in a statement. “While our goal was always to have him in our cars for the long term, I am 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.”
Zilisch has 12 races left in the 2026 season and the full 2027 campaign with Trackhouse before moving to Hendrick in 2028. Next for Zilisch is his first career start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Dollar Tree 301.
Broadcast coverage for the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway starts Sunday, Aug. 23 at 3 p.m., live on USA Network, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.