Connor Zilisch’s climb through the Xfinity ranks might have turned heads, but the 19-year-old knows the Cup Series will be an entirely different experience. Ten wins in his rookie full-time Xfinity season weren’t enough to bag the championship, and as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with NASCAR’s heavyweights next year, Zilisch isn’t fooling himself into expecting an easy transition. He’s aware of the mountain he’s about to climb, and he’s bracing for the bruises that come with it.
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Over the past year, Zilisch has leaned on friendships with drivers like Zane Smith and Noah Gragson, two former Xfinity beauts, who’ve struggled to find their footing in the Cup Series. Their honest advice has kept Zilisch’s feet on the ground. “It sucks losing,” he admitted, “but you learn how to lose.” For Zilisch, it’s not blind optimism, but a reality check that Cup racing gives no quarter.
He understands, “There are no breaks given whether you’re racing for the win, a top 10, or 32nd. It doesn’t matter; everyone is there to be in the next-best position, and everyone gets paid to finish as good as possible. There is no slack cut like there is in Xfinity.”
He went on to draw a distinction between the two divisions. “In Xfinity, you get to the top five, and it gets tougher, but from 10th on back, especially being in such a good car, people understand that you’re not going to be able to hold someone off for long. But in Cup, it’s just ruthless. Those guys race for every spot like it’s the last lap of their lives.”
The difference, Zilisch said, is night and day, a leap that only those who’ve made it can truly understand.
NASCAR’s biggest prospect in recent history is now a Cup Series driver. Those who came before warn:
“You can’t drink your own Kool-Aid too much where you think you’re the next thing because you’re going to get here and fall on your face.”
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— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) November 15, 2025
He knows that the Cup Series is no joke, and every guy in that field was once a champion or a dominant driver somewhere, and when they get in the Cup field, nobody dominates. There’s no one-man show in the top tier of NASCAR.
Zilisch has already gotten a taste of that harsh reality. In three Cup starts, he’s been wrecked twice, finishing P37 at COTA and P23 at Charlotte. Atlanta was the lone bright spot, where he clawed his way to P11, a glimpse of what might come once he finds his rhythm. Given his knack for road courses, many, including Kyle Larson, expect him to give Shane van Gisbergen a serious challenge next season.
Still, he knows patience is key. After all, even the greats needed time. Joey Logano, now a three-time champion, had to weather early struggles and a team change before hitting his stride. Kyle Busch, on the other hand, was quick from day one. Zilisch’s journey could follow either path, and he’s not in a rush to find out.
