With Connor Zilisch entering the NASCAR Cup Series, some drivers are excited, while some have reasons to be apprehensive of the young gun’s presence in the top division. Recently, a NASCAR enthusiast speculated that Zilisch’s grooming by Trackhouse Racing might lead to internal shifts, possibly positioning him to replace a current team member or even leading to a move to Hendrick Motorsports as Alex Bowman’s replacement.
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However, the NASCAR community quickly dismissed the notion of Bowman exiting, pointing to his performance last season. Instead, they felt Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez’s seat could be in jeopardy if his results don’t measure up this season.
Suarez signed his contract extension with the Trackhouse Racing team back in August 2024, along with Freeway Insurance, which opted to sponsor the #99 car for a third of the 2025 season, including the Daytona 500 race. So, the notion of Suarez departing the team he joined at its inception in 2021 seems far-fetched.
Then again, the statistics tilt more favorably toward Bowman. While Suarez won a race last year, he concluded the season in P12. Bowman, on the other hand, secured a win but ended the season in ninth place. Bowman could have broken into the top 8 if not for disqualification at Roval.
“I don’t think Bowman is going anywhere this year, there is a clear plan that Zilisch will replace Suarez if Suarez doesn’t improve,” commented one fan.
Another enthusiast chimed in, “I think Trackhouse is fast-tracking him to Cup for that exact reason. I expect Zillisch to replace Suarez next year because if he doesn’t, Hendrick would not hesitate to steal him.”
none of them, hendrick steals him for the 48 https://t.co/Bp9PyolExc
— Tyler Pennell (@_nascartyler) February 28, 2025
Another fan brought in Carson Hocevar into the conversation, stating that HMS already has a development driver in case they want to replace Bowman.
“Why would HMS go for a different team’s development driver when they already have Hocevar, Caruth and now Corey Day, in their own pipeline? You seem to be coping with the fact that HMS failed to sign Connor before someone else,” they commented.
Another person wrote: “Suarez will be out. I think with Pitbull leaving, it’s obvious.”
As far as contracts go, Bowman’s tenure with Hendrick Motorsports is secured through the 2026 NASCAR season. That, though, hasn’t quelled the persistent rumors about his future with the team.
After missing the playoffs in 2023, Bowman entered 2024 driven to reclaim his stature. He reached the playoffs but was unable to compete because his car was disqualified for a technical reason.
His victory in Chicago last year momentarily quelled his critics, but the pressure remains on Bowman to elevate his game. In a team where he is measured against the performances of teammates Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and William Byron, maintaining a winning habit is imperative.
