Connor Zilisch entered the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas positioned as one of the strongest contenders alongside Shane van Gisbergen. However, contrary to both his and NASCAR fans’ expectations, Zilisch left with a P14 finish after two spins disrupted his run.
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The 19-year-old showed pace through multiple stretches of the race but was unable to convert it into a result. He felt he was on top of the day and that the car, too, was fast. Luck, however, did not favor him at all.
In his post-race remarks, Zilisch addressed the results, saying, “Yeah, I mean, I feel like I drove one of the best races I’ve ever driven, and we finished 14th. So, yeah, it sucks.
“Our Red Bull Chevrolet was really fast all day, and we were putting ourselves in a spot there at the end on that last caution in stage three to go have a chance to win the race. And, yeah, got wrecked again in turn one. So, I don’t know if I need to do something different, but, yeah, just one of those days,” the Trackhouse Racing driver added.
Zilisch described the first incident as contact after Daniel Suarez closed from behind and made contact entering the corner. The second spin occurred in Turn 1 during a late restart sequence. Despite the setbacks, he pointed to the pace shown across the event. “As a race car driver, I’m not satisfied, but it shows that I can do it,” he said.
A disappointed @ConnorZilisch after feeling like he “drove one of the best races I’ve ever driven” but finished 14th. pic.twitter.com/raTARazoVq
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) March 2, 2026
Zilisch’s race weekend began with difficulty in qualifying. A brake lock-up on his opening lap prevented him from posting a competitive time, and subsequent attempts on two additional heater laps failed to move him into the top 10. As a result, he had to start the race from the back of the pack in P25. But that start marked the beginning of a highly eventful race.
By the end of Stage 1, Zilisch had already advanced to 15th and was near the front of the field for the restart. Early in Stage 2, contact with Suárez sent him spinning and dropped him to the rear of the field. He finished the stage in 31st place.
He mounted a recovery through the final stage. By Lap 68, Zilisch had climbed to fifth and was running inside the top three past the halfway point of the stage. But a caution inside the final 20 laps reset the field. In the chaotic Turn 1 sequence, contact involving Zilisch and Zane Smith resulted in another spin. Eventually, he fell outside the top 25 before rallying to finish 14th.
