Following Alex Bowman’s decision to step away from the NASCAR Cup Series full-time after the 2027 season, attention has quickly shifted to who could take over the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports car. One rising rookie has found himself in the midst of the rumors. 

The driver in question is none other than Chevrolet-backed Connor Zilisch. According to a report by The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi, despite the tough rookie season Zilisch has been enduring at Trackhouse Racing, Hendrick has already begun laying the groundwork to get Zilisch to the team. 

"This pursuit of Zilisch by Hendrick has already begun in earnest, according to multiple industry sources familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly, including a recent meeting between Hendrick and Trackhouse regarding Zilisch’s availability," Bianchi reported via The Athletic.

The youngster has emerged as one of the sport’s brightest prospects with his rapid rise through the NASCAR ranks, making him a natural name for the seat at Hendrick Motorsports. While the team's interest seems to be genuine, nothing has been signed and sealed as yet.

"Nothing is known to be signed, and Zilisch is to remain with Trackhouse in 2027 to fulfill the final year of his contract, but talks between all three parties are ongoing," Bianchi further wrote in the report.

The reported interest is not entirely new as NASCAR’s winningest organisation was in pursuit of Zilisch since earlier this year. During Jordan Bianchi’s silly season breakdown on "Dirty Mo Overdrive" in May, he mentioned that the team has been eyeing the Chevrolet-backed rookie. 

"The other name [besides Corey Day] that has been much speculated about and much linked to the 48 is Connor Zilisch," Bianchi said. "That may seem a surprise because Connor Zilisch is under contract with Trackhouse Racing, and if Hendrick Motorsports were to try to get Connor Zilisch out of his contract, it would necessitate a big buyout."

However, with Bowman retiring and Zilisch’s Trackhouse Racing contract coming to an end at the end of the 2027 season, the stars seem to align perfectly for Hendrick Motorsports. 

Alex Bowman explains his decision to retire from NASCAR full-time

On Thursday, Hendrick Motorsports announced the one-year contract extension for Bowman. The surprising twist was that it would be his last full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series.

While talking to The Athletic's Jeff Gluck, the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports driver explained his decision to retire from NASCAR because of injury and health concerns.

"In March, that's what I was doing, "Bowman revealed in the interview. "I was pretty adamant that I wasn’t going to come back and that I was done. We had all those conversations."

Bowman suffered vertigo-like symptoms at COTA earlier this year. Moreover, his injury battles extended to as far back as 2002, when he had a concussion in that made him sit out five races and another Sprint car crash in 2023 in which he injured his back.

"My back hurts a lot; I’m in a lot of pain," he said. "I’m doing (physical therapy) every single day, just trying to get through the season."

He further revealed that it was not only these struggles that led to the decision. It was also "roughly the timeline in which he envisioned the end of his full-time career."

Having reached the timeline he had in mind, Alex Bowman will now turn his attention to making the most out of his remaining time in the NASCAR Cup Series. 

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest! 

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Yash Kotak