Zilisch Addresses Early Hendrick Move Rumors
Rookie of the Year Connor Zilisch said he will race for Trackhouse in 2027 before joining Hendrick Motorsports for 2028.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Motorsports
NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Connor Zilisch addressed rumors of an early move to Hendrick Motorsports at Homestead on Friday. Zilisch is racing for Trackhouse in 2027 and joins Hendrick for the 2028 season.
Why it matters
Zilisch's 2028 move to Hendrick follows Alex Bowman's retirement after the 2027 season, with Zilisch set to take over Bowman's No. 48 car. The arrangement gives Zilisch another year of sponsor obligations and a lower-pressure environment to learn before the switch.
Zilisch's Hendrick start in 2028 and Bowman's final Hendrick season in 2027 set a two-year handoff in the No. 48 car. The source does not provide performance metrics or race statistics for either driver's current season.
The players
Connor Zilisch
Connor Zilisch is a NASCAR Cup Series driver who was named Rookie of the Year and is moving from Trackhouse Racing to Hendrick Motorsports.
Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman is a veteran NASCAR driver for Hendrick Motorsports who retires after the 2027 season, opening the No. 48 seat for Zilisch.
Trackhouse Racing
Trackhouse Racing is a NASCAR team fielding Zilisch through the 2027 season.
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports is one of NASCAR's largest teams and will field Zilisch starting in 2028.
The details
Zilisch addressed the rumors on Friday at Homestead, saying he is happy in his current role because it carries lower pressure and less scrutiny while he learns. He said he wants to end his Trackhouse tenure on a good note and that next year can go better for the team.
Timeline
2027: Zilisch races for Trackhouse while Bowman races for Hendrick.
2028: Zilisch joins Hendrick Motorsports.
Friday, November 6, 2026: Zilisch addresses the early-move rumors at Homestead.
Roadmap
Zilisch's planned succession of Alex Bowman in the No. 48 car continues Hendrick Motorsports' pattern of setting driver handoffs well in advance, the same approach used when Bowman took over the seat from Jimmie Johnson. The timeline gives both Trackhouse and Hendrick a full season to prepare the transition.
Fantasy and team-watching readers should note that Zilisch's Trackhouse seat for 2027 and Hendrick start for 2028 are set, while Bowman's No. 48 seat opens after 2027. The move affects which team fans will follow when Zilisch's results are tracked in future seasons.
The takeaway
Planned driver transitions give teams and sponsors time to align, and Zilisch's two-year timeline shows how NASCAR handoffs can be staged well ahead of the switch.
Further reading
For more on the sport's teams and schedules, see Motorsports coverage across NASCAR and other racing series.
