Friday Faceoff: What Are the Expectations for Connor Zilisch at Hendrick?

1) What are your expectations for Connor Zilisch in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 in 2028?

Cameron Bebeau: By the time Connor Zilisch arrives at Hendrick Motorsports, he’ll have double the experience in the NASCAR Cup Series than he does now. I expect to see him capture a spot in The Chase and at least one victory.

Michael Bellifemini: In Zilisch’s first year at Hendrick, I expect him to win a road course race and contend for a Chase spot. He’ll still be very young at that point, so he won’t be a title threat until around 2029-2030.

Christopher Hansen: I expect Zilisch will contend for top-five and top-10 finishes and perhaps a win or two in his first full season. Zilisch has his whole career ahead of him, and with the success he had driving for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he’s bound to have some of that same success on the Cup side as he gains more confidence behind the wheel of the Next Gen car.

Joy Tomlinson: I expect him to get to victory lane at some point that year; he’s too good of a driver not to. However, it will be a tall task for Zilisch, considering where Hendrick is right now. Only one driver has won for the team so far this year: Chase Elliott at Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. He sits sixth in the standings, while Kyle Larson is eighth and William Byron is 12th. Overall, Hendrick isn’t where it’s used to being, and that’s a bit concerning. But every year is different; next season could show much improvement across the organization, and the drivers could all bring home wins. I know the team doesn’t want to stay where it’s at, so if it builds up to race wins in 2027, it would be a good setup for Zilisch when he hops in the No. 48 in 2028.

2) Which team will Josh Berry drive for in 2027?

Jeffrey Boswell: Corey Lajoie currently drives part time for RFK Racing in the No. 99, and, much like Josh Berry, is considered expendable by his respective team. RFK can, and should, make that No. 99 full-time car for Berry’s sake. Berry currently drives a Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, so remaining in a Ford would make the transition to RFK seamless.

Hansen: JRM in the O’Reilly Series. With rumors that Sammy Smith may not return to the No. 8 JRM Chevrolet in 2027, Josh Berry would be a suitable candidate given his past history with the team. With solid top-10 performances the previous three Cup races, Berry is certainly making an argument for himself to join a championship-contending team for next season.

Bebeau: Berry could move to one of the Richard Childress Racing entries in the NOAPS. It seems like one of those situations where both parties could gain from this; Berry could benefit from having a solid car underneath him weekly, and RCR could benefit from having a consistent driver, especially as it sees such a drastic shakeup.

Tomlinson: With pretty much every team’s driver lineups locked in for next year in the Cup Series, it’s looking like Berry will drop back to the NOAPS. Sam Hunt Racing has an opening with Dean Thompson moving to Haas Factory Team, so it might be a good fit for Berry. However, JRM would probably want him back with its team, if he can bring enough sponsorship. He’d have a better chance to win races there, and I know that’s what he wants to do again.

Bellifemini: If the rumors about Chandler Smith going to O’Reilly next year are true, I can see Berry driving the No. 38 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next year with Front Row Motorsports. If he keeps running well like he has been lately, maybe he can put himself in the running for the RCR Cup ride next year if it decides to move on from Austin Hill.

3) With FRM’s Cup driver lineup set for next season, what is the next career step for Layne Riggs?

Tomlinson: I’m not sure. His best bet may be to just stay in Trucks another year and win more races with FRM, if it keeps him. Because otherwise, if he went to O’Reilly, he’d likely just run for a mid-tier team and not be in contention to win any races, which is never fun for someone used to winning often.

Bellifemini: I can see Layne Riggs running it back in the Truck Series in the No. 34 for one more season. I could also see him trying to find a ride in the O’Reilly Series, but he would have to leave the Ford camp. He’s driven for Kaulig Racing before, so maybe he could end up there in the future, too.

Hansen: With Noah Gragson’s contract extension with FRM, Riggs’ best option would be to inquire about possible full-time rides in the O’Reilly Series with some limited Cup starts potentially on the horizon. He’s a talented-enough driver to where getting reps in NASCAR’s top two series could prove beneficial in the long run.

Bebeau: I could see Riggs having to look outside the FRM ecosystem if he wants to see any rapid progression, but at the same time, I don’t really expect him to want to do that. Rushing a driver up the ranks has often hurt them more than it helps, and this is one of those instances where picking up experience in the lower series would be better than trying to rush something that just isn’t ready.

4) Will anyone currently outside the Truck Chase bubble make it in at New Hampshire, or will the current 10 stay the same?

Tomlinson: Stewart Friesen has the best chance of getting in The Chase. He has more experience, and last year’s race saw Tyler Ankrum (who’s currently 10th in the standings) and Jake Garcia (12th) finish 11th and 16th, earning just 27 points each. Friesen wasn’t in that race due to his recovery from injuries, but in one of the races he was in previously present for in 2017, he finished fifth and earned 38 points. My only concern with him this weekend is that his team is fielding a third truck, which is odd considering that it’s the last race before The Chase. Friesen will need all the points he can gain, and a third entry may hinder his drive to make the top 10 in points.

Boswell: Ankrum currently sits 10th in the standings with a 20-point lead over 11th-place Friesen. So unless something crazy happens, the top 10 won’t change. A win by a driver below Ankrum could shake up the bottom of the top 10, but that happening is a long shot: no driver below Ankrum has a win this season, except for part-time Trucks driver Corey Heim (three wins), and he’s not in the field for New Hampshire.

Bebeau: The current top 10 will stay as it stands. Barring a catastrophic day from Ankrum, neither Friesen nor Garcia really has the momentum to catch him. If something were to happen, I could see Friesen capitalizing.

Hansen: With only Friesen (-20) and Garcia (-21) close enough to the Chase cut line to point their way in, the current top 10 will remain the same. If Ankrum experiences some sort of issue resulting in a poor finish, it could be enough for someone like Friesen or Garcia to move into the top 10 and run for the championship.