While it is the worst-kept secret in NASCAR, did Connor Zilisch tip his 2026 NASCAR plans earlier today at Indianapolis? Zilisch was asked about his upcoming start at Watkins Glen. He had an interesting answer about “next year” for fans interested in his next career move.
It is almost a guarantee that Connor Zilisch will be racing in the NASCAR Cup Series next season. He will be racing for Trackhouse Racing as they have already revealed they are moving on from Daniel Suárez after this season.
Still, the news isn’t officially out. Zilisch let it slip a bit. Either on purpose or by accident, he let it be known that he’s going for Sunday wins in 2026. Not that anyone is surprised to learn that fact.
“Honestly, I probably wish it was an oval for myself just because I could learn probably more. You know, I’ll go there and I’ll learn,” Zilisch said, via Steven Taranto of CBS Sports. “You know, there’s no substitute for time on Sundays, but I would definitely learn more if I was racing at Kansas or Vegas or something like that. I don’t really make those decisions, but I still feel like I’m going to be able to have more time in the Cup car, feeling the car, getting a better understanding of what I need to do to be a winning Sunday racer, and Trackhouse has been really good on the road courses lately.
“So, I have a lot of confidence in the car that we’ll have at Watkins Glen, and being able to compete with guys like SVG. You know, I want to be able to do that, and next year I feel like my best chance to win a race would be on a road course. So, the practice starts now, and that’s going to be good for me. Yeah, I’m not too worried about going out there and winning the race, but you know, by all means, I want to go and be competitive and try to run as good as possible and just have a mistake-free day, quiet day, and hopefully, come home with a good finish.”
Connor Zilisch is a young phenom. He recently turned 19 years old and already has four wins this season. The sky is the limit for the Trackhouse development driver. In his last eight races, he has finished P5 or better and has three wins in that same time.
It is clear to anyone who has watched that Zilisch is ready for Sundays. At this point, another Xfinity Series season is just redundant. Justin Marks and Trackhouse want to get Zilisch in a Cup car full-time as soon as possible.
Last year, Connor Zilisch said he wanted to be the youngest Cup champion. That will be very difficult for Zilisch. However, given his talent, you can’t put it past him.
Next year is important for Trackhouse. Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen, and Connor Zilisch are a fantastic trio. The results on the track have to be there, though. Recently, the speed on ovals has not been up to standard.
So, there is work for Trackhouse to do. Marks can’t plug Zilisch into the 99 car and expect wins and championships. Zilisch is a talented driver. Winning a race isn’t easy for anyone. Winning a championship is increasingly more difficult.
Trackhouse Racing has had a long-term plan in place. Signing Connor Zilisch last year was a master move. Now, Justin Marks and his team have to follow up. Zilisch brings talent and a future, but can’t do it alone.
