From NASCAR Prodigy to Hendrick Motorsports: Connor Zilisch’s Journey to the No. 48 – Speedway Digest

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Connor Zilisch grew up watching Jimmie Johnson dominate NASCAR behind the wheel of the No. 48 Chevrolet. In 2028, the sport’s most sought-after young driver will take his turn carrying one of NASCAR’s most recognizable numbers.

Hendrick Motorsports announced this week that Zilisch will replace the retiring Alex Bowman as driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet beginning with the 2028 NASCAR Cup Series season, completing a succession plan that team owner Rick Hendrick said had been years in the making.

For Hendrick, the decision became clear as he watched Zilisch’s meteoric rise through the Chevrolet pipeline.

“Watching Connor in the JRM cars, I was impressed and blown away,” Hendrick said during a virtual media availability. “When Alex decided 2027 was going to be his last year, then we found out that Connor would be available in 2028. Ally’s been such an unbelievable sponsor and the two just really fit.”

The move places one of NASCAR’s brightest prospects into a seat that has produced seven Cup Series championships with Johnson and multiple victories with Bowman. It also signals Hendrick Motorsports’ commitment to building around youth as the organization looks toward its next era.

At just 20 years old, Zilisch has already built a reputation as one of the most versatile racers in North America. He has won in stock cars, sports cars and on road courses while steadily proving he can compete on ovals, a development Hendrick executives viewed as a critical step before elevating him to one of the sport’s premier rides.

“It’s not just his talent,” said Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman and four-time Cup champion. “We all knew how talented he was on the road courses. The question was, what can he do on ovals? He’s proved and is continuing to prove that he’s good behind the wheel at any track that you put him at.”

Beyond speed, Gordon emphasized that Hendrick’s decision centered on culture and communication as much as performance.

“The way that Hendrick Motorsports works is unlike any other organization,” Gordon said. “The more transparent you are, the more information you can add to the conversation, it elevates the entire organization.”

The timing of the move was driven largely by Bowman’s decision to retire following the 2027 season. Both Hendrick and Gordon stressed that the organization wanted the transition to occur on Bowman’s terms.

“Alex has been phenomenal,” Gordon said. “He’s done a lot for Hendrick Motorsports, and Ally really enjoyed what he’s done for them. When he told us he wanted next year to be his final year, that pretty much put the next thing in motion.”

Once Hendrick learned Zilisch would be free to explore opportunities beyond 2027, the organization quickly moved.

“He’s been at the top of the list,” Gordon said. “When we found out that 2028 was an opportunity, we knew we had to jump on it.”

The pursuit required cooperation across Chevrolet’s NASCAR family. Zilisch remains under contract with Trackhouse Racing through 2027, and Hendrick repeatedly praised Trackhouse owner Justin Marks for helping facilitate discussions.

“Justin has been phenomenal,” Hendrick said. “We respect him. We work together extremely well. We knew if Connor was going out and exploring opportunities, we wanted to be the team.”

For Zilisch, leaving the organization that helped launch his Cup career was not easy.

“I’ve always been a loyalty guy,” Zilisch said. “Justin has done so much for me, not only on-track but off the track. It was very tough for me. But at the end of the day, when Hendrick Motorsports has availability, it’s very hard to say no to that.”

Despite the announcement, Zilisch said his focus remains on winning races with Trackhouse over the next year and a half before making the transition.

“I have a lot of time between now and 2028,” he said. “I want to win races with Trackhouse and be successful with the team I have now.”

The move also provides continuity for Ally Financial, which remains one of the last major NASCAR sponsors committed to a full-season primary partnership. Ally chief marketing and public relations officer Andrea Brimmer said Zilisch embodies the qualities the company values in its ambassadors.

“We’re hungry to win championships,” Brimmer said. “But beyond that, we’re looking for brand ambassadors that embody the same values that Ally has.”

She pointed to Johnson and Bowman as examples of drivers who connected with fans while helping elevate the brand.

“The conversations I’ve had so far with Connor, he seems like he’s going to be one of the greats in terms of doing that,” Brimmer said. “He’s got all the charm, all the personality and all the values.”

For Zilisch, the expectations attached to the No. 48 are impossible to ignore. Yet he views them as motivation instead of pressure.

“Success is the standard,” Zilisch said. “I would more so call it an honor rather than pressure. Being a part of that legacy and creating my own story is something I’m really excited for.”

That phrase, “creating my own story,” surfaced repeatedly throughout the announcement and may ultimately define Zilisch’s challenge.

He is not replacing Johnson. He is not replacing Bowman. He is inheriting one of NASCAR’s most storied rides while attempting to carve out an identity of his own.

Hendrick believes he is ready.

“I think about Connor’s age and what his ability is,” Hendrick said. “If you can align with someone with the talent this young man has, the future is pretty bright.”