Connor Zilisch Gets NASCAR’s Golden Ticket To Hendrick’s No. 48

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 20: Connor Zilisch poses for a photograph during NASCAR Production Days astatine Charlotte Convention Center connected January 20, 2026 successful Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Well, that didn’t return long.

Hendrick Motorsports announced Monday that Connor Zilisch has signed a multi-year woody pinch the statement and will return complete the No. 48 Chevrolet opening successful 2028.

The timing is interesting, to put it mildly.

Just weeks ago, Alex Bowman and Hendrick announced that Bowman will discontinue from full-time title astatine the extremity of the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season. That gives the statement much than a twelvemonth to measure prospects, show development, discuss contracts and determine precisely wherever it wants the early of 1 of NASCAR’s astir recognizable cars to go.

Apparently, Hendrick Motorsports didn’t request astir that overmuch time.

Instead, the statement has already decided that Zilisch is the guy.

That raises an evident question: Was this really a determination that took weeks to make, aliases had Hendrick already decided that the 20-year-old phenom was destined for the No. 48 agelong earlier Monday’s announcement?

Whatever the answer, location is small enigma near now. Zilisch is going to Hendrick, and unless personification has dramatically misread the situation, the statement is betting that he will beryllium fresh to transportation 1 of NASCAR’s astir coveted numbers erstwhile Bowman steps away.

ForbesConnor Zilisch: Racing's Prodigal Son Takes On NASCAR's Holy GrailBy Greg EngleForbesThe NASCAR Cup Series May Have Just Met Its Fast-Track DisruptorBy Greg Engle

ForbesJustin Marks Looking To Build Trackhouse Into NASCAR’s Next DynastyBy Greg Engle

ForbesConnor Zilisch Trades NASCAR Disappointment For Daytona EnduranceBy Greg Engle

“Connor is simply a genuinely talented young racer,” said Rick Hendrick, proprietor of Hendrick Motorsports. “His talent down the instrumentality is exceptional, but I’m moreover much impressed by the personification he is. When personification pinch that benignant of expertise and characteristic becomes available, you do everything you tin to bring them into your organization. We person tremendous assurance successful Connor, and we judge he’s the correct driver to build connected the bequest of the No. 48 Ally squad for galore years to come.”

It’s not difficult to understand the enthusiasm.

Zilisch was being described arsenic a phenom before astir drivers his property had figured retired which extremity of a title car was expected to spell first. He started racing karts astatine conscionable 5 years aged and won the FIA Karting Academy Trophy successful 2020. He moved into full-bodied cars successful 2021 and, by 2024, had exploded onto the nationalist racing scene.

That year, Zilisch won some the IMSA Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring successful his first attempts astatine each event. He besides won his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut astatine Watkins Glen.

Not bad for a teenager.

But it was 2025 erstwhile Zilisch really sewage NASCAR’s attention.

Driving successful the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he produced a play that looked little for illustration the improvement of a young driver and much for illustration personification had accidentally selected the cheat code. Zilisch won 10 races, recorded 18 consecutive top-five finishes and became the first driver to triumph the regular-season title contempt missing a race.

Trackhouse Racing recognized what it had and signed Zilisch arsenic a developmental driver successful 2025, fielding a Cup Series car for him successful 3 starts that season.

This year, however, the training wheels came off. Zilisch moved into a full-time Cup Series thrust pinch Trackhouse, and the results person been considerably little spectacular.

In 24 starts, he has recorded conscionable 1 top-10 decorativeness and has suffered 8 DNFs.

That is not needfully a logic for Hendrick to panic. If anything, it is astir apt the logic the statement wants Zilisch successful its pipeline now alternatively than waiting until 2027 to fig retired what it has.

Cup racing has a funny measurement of making very talented drivers look alternatively mean for a while. The velocity is different, the title is relentless and mistakes that mightiness costs a young driver a fewer positions successful different bid tin extremity a Cup title altogether. Zilisch is learning each of that now, sometimes the difficult way.

The advantage he has is time.

With Hendrick’s announcement coming this acold up of his move to the No. 48, Zilisch has fundamentally been fixed a afloat play and a 4th to beryllium that the organization's assurance is justified. He tin learn, make mistakes, create his narration pinch Hendrick’s group and fig retired really to past the play nutrient grinder that is NASCAR’s apical division.

And that past portion matters.

The No. 48 is not conscionable different Cup Series car. It is 1 of the astir recognizable rides successful the sport, pinch a bequest built by Jimmie Johnson and continued by Bowman. Hendrick is not simply looking for personification who tin move a accelerated lap. It needs personification tin of carrying the expectations that travel pinch the number, the sponsor and the organization.

Zilisch will person plentifulness of clip to get ready.

“This is 1 of those moments you dream astir arsenic a kid,” Zilisch said. “Hendrick Motorsports has ever represented the modular successful our sport, and being entrusted to thief proceed that bequest intends everything to me. The chance to thrust a Chevrolet for Mr. Hendrick, transportation the colors of an unthinkable partner for illustration Ally and compete alongside immoderate of the champion drivers and group successful racing is what you activity truthful difficult for. I’m grateful for the assurance they’ve shown successful me, and it’s my occupation to beryllium they made the correct decision.”

That past condemnation whitethorn beryllium the astir important one.

Because Hendrick Motorsports has apparently already made its decision.

Now Connor Zilisch has until 2028 to make judge cipher regrets it.