Connor Zilisch: The Key to Success in NASCAR, Learning to Lose

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 NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he was crowned regular season champion with ten victories, Zilisch is preparing to make the leap to the top category. This young driver, originally from North Carolina, has demonstrated exceptional talent from an early age. His career, marked by victories in various competitions in the United States and Europe, earned him a contract with Red Bull at the age of 18. His charisma and contagious personality have made him a beloved figure by fans. Trackhouse Racing, the team that introduced him to NASCAR in 2024, will be in charge of running Zilisch in the number 88 Chevrolet, backed by Red Bull and WeatherTech.

I think he’s better than I was at his age and seems to be more mature. It’s easy to get carried away when you’re 18 or 19 years old. He’s a great driver, no doubt. He won a lot of races in Xfinity. The Cup Series is different. Everyone is great at this level. Everyone is fantastic. So you can’t drink too much of your own Kool-Aid and think you’re the next big thing because you’re going to get here and fall flat on your face.

Joey Logano

Experienced driver Joey Logano, three-time Cup Series champion, warns Zilisch about the challenges ahead. Logano recalls his own experience, where high-level competition forced him to adapt and grow as a driver. Kyle Busch, another driver who came to the Cup Series with high expectations, also serves as an example for Zilisch. Busch emphasizes the importance of maintaining humility and understanding the demands of the category.

Busch points out that the step from the Xfinity Series to the Cup Series is huge, and that young drivers often underestimate the level of competition. Zilisch, who started racing at age 5 and spent a decade in karting, has proven his worth in various motorsport disciplines. His time in the FIA Karting Academy Trophy and his participation in endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, have forged his experience. In his three Cup Series participations in 2025, Zilisch has experienced firsthand the learning curve and the demands of the category. The driver acknowledges that he will make mistakes and that the margin for error is minimal.

No quarter is given, whether you’re fighting for victory, for the top 10, or for 32nd place. It doesn’t matter, everyone is there to be in the best possible position and everyone gets paid to finish as well as possible. There’s no flexibility like in Xfinity. In Xfinity, you get to the top five and it gets harder, but from tenth back, especially being in such a good car, people understand that you’re not going to be able to defend against someone for very long. But in the Cup, it’s ruthless. Those guys compete for every position as if it were the last lap of their lives.

Connor Zilisch

Zilisch has shown that he deserves a place in the Cup Series, but time will tell how quickly he adapts to the high competition. Zilisch’s path in the Cup Series will be a challenge, but his talent and determination suggest that he has the potential to achieve success.