Hendrick Motorsports did right by Alex Bowman by extending his contract for another season. But after the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season, Bowman is set to retire from full-time competition altogether, ending what is set to become a 10-year run at one of the sport's premier teams.
Bowman's performance has taken a hit over the past few seasons, but he's also missed races in three of the past five years due to health-related issues, leading to speculation that he could have even been replaced for 2027. His current contract had been due to expire after 2026, and primary sponsor Ally Financial had already been extended through 2028.
While there's little doubt Bowman is Hendrick's No. 4 driver, he's historically been about as good as "weak links" get in the Cup Series, even during some of his injury-plagued seasons.
But with confirmation that he is set to at least somewhat go out on his own terms after 2027, one of the vacancies that many thought would have to be filled for next year absolutely does need to be filled for 2028.
Who will be behind the wheel of the No. 48 Chevrolet in 2028? Here are three possible candidates.
Ross Chastain
Of the three, it is Ross Chastain who is being most ignored, and aside from the 2023 on-track squabble with Kyle Larson at Darlington Raceway, we're not really sure why.
He is a proven championship-level driver who wins races. What more do you want? He came out of nowhere in 2022 to finish runner-up in the championship behind Joey Logano, but has since been plagued by Trackhouse Racing's own decline in performance.
Still, he entered the 2026 season on a four-year win streak, including an incredible drive from last to first to win the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. He's been floated as a possible candidate to join RFK Racing, which might actually be a smoother fit, but if Hendrick can sign him for 2028, they shouldn't think twice. 2023 will have been a half-decade ago at that point.
He also notably brings primary sponsorship from Busch Light.
Corey Day
The next man up in the Hendrick Motorsports pipeline is Corey Day, who is their first full-time O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driver since the late Kyle Busch in 2004 (and 2006, but Busch was already full-time in Cup by then).
Day is rough around the edges, but you can't deny the skill and the incredible upside. He's won two races this year as a rookie, and he's been a contender in plenty of others. The 20-year-old Clovis, California native is well-positioned to enter the playoffs as one of the top seeds.
Day is an even more attractive option because of the fact that Bowman is set to have one more year, meaning that Day is set to get an additional year to develop to smooth some things out.
Hendrick Motorsports have already seen firsthand the successes of another star whose dirt racing background is well-publicized, that being two-time champion Kyle Larson.
Connor Zilisch
It took no time at all for Connor Zilisch to emerge as the frontrunner when Bowman's announcement was made, with many already penciling him in as the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports from 2028 through about 2047.
It's no secret that the 20-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native hasn't lived up to the hype in 2026, and while some of that is unquestionably the fact that the expectations were completely unrealistic, and the fact that he may have been rushed to the sport's top level as a teenager, we also can't overlook Trackhouse Racing's shortcomings as a team.
Zilisch has made his fair share of mistakes as a rookie, but that's what rookies do. That's part of what fans forgot about rookies when Zilisch was generating all of his "next Jeff Gordon" comparisons and being labeled a "championship favorite" in the preseason.
Trackhouse Racing signed him as a development driver in 2024, so the best-case scenario would be them figuring things out and him remaining loyal. But if that partnership doesn't work out, Hendrick and Chevrolet would not have a higher upside option available than Zilisch. Would the move outweigh the risks? As of now, it's the one that's expected to happen. But Zilisch needs to demonstrate at least something noteworthy at the Cup level first, because you can't cling to "potential" forever.
