The future of motorsports looks bright with the arrival of Connor Zilisch to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2026. After a historic season in the Xfinity Series, where he was crowned regular season champion with 10 victories, Zilisch is preparing to make the leap to the top category.
Hailing from North Carolina, this young driver, at a mere 18 years old, already had the backing of Red Bull. His innate talent, combined with a captivating personality, has led him to conquer victories in the United States and Europe, breaking records along the way.
Trackhouse Racing, the team that gave Zilisch a chance in NASCAR in 2024, will include him in the Chevrolet No. 88 next year, with Red Bull and WeatherTech as his main sponsors.
I think he’s better than I was at his age, and he seems to be more mature than I was at his age.
Joey Logano
Joey Logano, three-time Cup Series champion, shares his perspective on the challenge Zilisch faces. Logano, who was also considered a promising talent at one point, warns about the importance of humility and adapting to a higher level of competition.
Logano recalled his own experience and that of Kyle Busch, another driver who came to the Cup Series with high expectations. Both drivers experienced an adaptation process, where the relentless competition of the category demanded constant learning.Busch believes that the jump from the Xfinity Series to the Cup Series is huge, and that young drivers may underestimate the level of demand. The lack of contact with Cup Series drivers before reaching the category, due to the restrictions imposed by NASCAR, also makes the adaptation process difficult.
Zilisch, who started competing at 5 years old and spent a decade in karting, where he won the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, has proven his worth in various motorsport disciplines. His victories in Late Model Stock Cars, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with his successful debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, are proof of his talent.
In his three Cup Series participations in 2025, Zilisch has experienced firsthand the learning curve and the time adaptation requires. He is aware that he will make mistakes, that the margin for error is minimal, and that he will have difficult days.
No quarter is given, whether you’re fighting for victory, for the top 10, or for 32nd place.
Connor Zilisch
Zilisch highlights the intensity of the Cup Series, where every position is fiercely contested. The transition from the Xfinity Series to the Cup Series is a drastic change, and the driver acknowledges the difficulty of understanding the magnitude of this leap.
Zilisch’s story in the Cup Series is just beginning, and time will tell how quickly he adapts to the high competition. Logano’s experience and Busch’s speed are examples of the different paths a driver can take. Zilisch’s future in NASCAR is promising, and fans eagerly await to see his evolution in the top category.
