Connor Zilisch is set to take over the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2028. The 20-year-old will become the 76th different driver in Cup history to have the iconic number on the doors of his racecar.
While 75 different drivers have made at least one or more starts in a No. 48 car, only three of them managed to win a race with the number. One driver in particular stood out among the rest and made the No. 48 legendary.
Here, we will take a look at the history of the No. 48 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
James Hylton made over 500 starts in the No. 48
Before Jimmie Johnson burst onto the NASCAR Cup Series scene full-time in 2002, the No. 48 was synonymous with the late James Hylton. The Roanoke, Virginia native sported the No. 48 in 583 of his 602 career Cup Series starts. It is the second-most of any driver who has driven the No. 48.
Hylton captured two Cup Series victories in the No. 48 car for his self-owned Hylton Engineering team. He first won at Richmond in 1970 and last won at Talladega in 1972.
In addition, Hylton finished runner-up in the Cup Series points standings three times in the No. 48 (1966, 1967, 1971). After retiring from NASCAR competition, Hylton continued to be involved as a team owner.
On April 28, 2018, Hylton and his son, James Jr., tragically died after their team’s hauler was involved in a traffic accident in Carnesville, Georgia. He was 83 years old.
Jimmie Johnson made the No. 48 iconic with seven NASCAR Cup titles
When Jimmie Johnson moved up to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2002, he took the sport by storm. Piloting the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Johnson earned his first career victory in his 13th career start, which came at Auto Club Speedway in 2002.
From that moment on, Johnson made a legacy in the No. 48 car. With 686 starts, Johnson has fielded the No. 48 car more than anyone in history. On top of that, Johnson won just about more than anyone in NASCAR history, too.
Johnson earned a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series titles, alongside Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt for the most. The pairing of Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus, and car owner Rick Hendrick was unstoppable through the 2000s and 2010s.
That included an unprecedented five straight NASCAR Cup Series titles from 2006-2010.
Johnson earned 83 career Cup victories, which ranks sixth on the all-time wins list. When it comes to the No. 48 in NASCAR, Johnson made it more than a number, but a symbol of his excellence in the sport.
Alex Bowman carried the No. 48 banner after Johnson
When Johnson stepped away from full-time NASCAR competition after 2020, Alex Bowman took over the No. 48. Bowman was already competing for Hendrick Motorsports after replacing the retired Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 in 2018.
However, to keep the legacy of the No. 48 going, Bowman switched numbers prior to the 2021 season. Bowman has the third-most starts (192) of anyone to drive the No. 48. Six of Bowman’s eight Cup victories have come fielding the No. 48 car.
Bowman’s latest victory to date was the Chicago street race in July 2024. With his intentions to retire after 2027, the Arizona native will hope to go out with a bang and notch one more win in the already storied history of the No. 48.