DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Connor Zilisch paused to compose himself before wiping away tears, then spent the next 20 minutes using his shirt as a handkerchief.
It was an emotional promotion at Daytona International Speedway, even if it was one of the worst-kept secrets in NASCAR this season.
Zilisch, a 19-year-old phenom who has seven victories in NASCAR’s second-tier Xfinity Series, officially landed a Cup Series ride for 2026 on Saturday. It was long expected to happen, so much so that Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks joked that “we’re here to shock the world with an announcement that nobody saw coming.”
Marks said Zilisch signed a multiyear contract to drive full time for Trackhouse next year. Zilisch will replace Daniel Suárez in a yet-to-be-numbered Chevrolet and join teammates Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen in Marks’ three-car team.
“I never thought I would make it anywhere in racing,” Zilisch said before pausing to compose himself. “My parents have been behind me since day one, through every moment, the good, the bad. There were many times I questioned why I left school, left my friends to make this commitment to go to the Cup Series and try and chase a dream of racing in motorsports.