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7h ago

Trackhouse Confirms 19-Year-Old Connor Zilisch for 2026 Cup Seat After Dominant Xfinity Run

The promotion follows a breakout season as lofty expectations encounter cautions about the steep Cup learning curve.

Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, prepares to climb into his car prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on August 22, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
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Overview

  • Trackhouse announced a multi-year agreement that puts Zilisch in a full-time NASCAR Cup Series ride in 2026, with owner Justin Marks saying the teenager has shown capabilities he has never seen at that age.
  • The move places Zilisch in the Chevrolet previously driven by Daniel Suárez and pairs him with Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen in a three-car lineup next season.
  • Marks compared Zilisch’s rapid rise to Max Verstappen’s early ascent in Formula 1, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. praised the teenager’s maturity with nods to Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
  • Denny Hamlin warned that “it’s not gonna be an easy road,” citing Xfinity stars who initially struggled in Cup and noting Zilisch may show earlier strength on road courses than ovals.
  • Reports tally seven or eight Xfinity wins this year along with 12 straight top-fives and 400-plus laps led, and Zilisch will skip additional 2025 Cup starts to recover from a Watkins Glen injury and focus on a title fight he trails by three points.