5 drivers who won on their NASCAR debut, ft. Connor Zilisch

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at Watkins Glen International witnessed a new winner. Connor Zilisch, who is currently a development driver for Trackhouse Racing, won his debut Xfinity race at the 2.428-mile racetrack in New York State.

Zilisch is the seventh different driver to pull off the feat, following in the footsteps of Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs, who won his debut Xfinity Series race back in 2021 at the Daytona Street Circuit. Zilisch is expected to compete in three more races for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series - Kansas, Homestead, and Phoenix.

Let's take a look at the drivers who won their debut NASCAR races.

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#1. Jamie McMurray

Jamie McMurray at the Daytona 500 (Source: IMAGN)

Jamie McMurray, nicknamed 'Jamie Mac', served as the replacement driver for Sterling Marlin in a Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2002. It was just the second Cup Series start for the Joplin, Missouri native.

McMurray, who was 26 back then, drove the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge for SABCO Racing to the victory lane. McMurray used to be an Xfinity Series driver back then. Today, McMurray is an analyst for NASCAR on FOX.

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#2. Trevor Bayne

Trevor Bayne during driver introductions at Bristol Motor Speedway last year (Source: Imagn)

Just a day after his 20th birthday, Trevor Bayne emerged victorious in NASCAR's crown jewel event, the Daytona 500 (2011), and thus, became the youngest driver to grab a victory in the prestigious event. It was also his second career Cup Series attempt.

At that time, Bayne had 50 Xfinity starts to his name, marked by eight top-5s, including two P3 finishes. The 33-year-old serves as the Competition Director for Legacy Motor Club, a North Carolina-based NASCAR Cup Series outfit, owned by Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson, who is also a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.

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#3. Regan Smith

Regan Smith during Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 Championship race at Phoenix Raceway in 2021 (Source: Imagn)

Regan Smith won the 2011 Southern 500, driving for Furniture Row Racing. That was the 137th Cup Series start for FRM, an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2005 to 2018. The team had spent their previous 136 starts without a single win.

Throughout his career, Smith ran 224 races in the Cup Series, 208 races in the Xfinity Series and 36 races in the Truck Series. The 40-year-old New York native is currently a pit reporter for NASCAR on FOX.

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#4. Shane van Gisbergen

NASCAR Cup Series driver Shane van Gisbergen during qualifying for the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 2, 2024 (Source: Imagn)

A three-time Bathurst 1000 winner and three-time Australian Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen made his NASCAR debut last year at the Chicago road course. Gisbergen, also known as SVG, won the rain-shortened Cup Series race, replicating a feat that was last performed by Johnny Rutherford in 1963.

Van Gisbergen currently drives the No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevy full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Besides that, he is under a part-time schedule with Kaulig Racing driving the No. 16 car in the Cup Series and also with Pinnacle Racing Group as the driver of the No. 28 machine in the ARCA Menards Series. Gisbergen is expected to join Trackhouse Racing's full-time Cup Series roster in 2025.

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#5. Connor Zilisch

With his dominant run on Saturday, Connor Zilisch clinched the second straight victory for JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen. Sam Mayer got JRM, the preceding victory at WGI last year.

Zilisch started his maiden Xfinity race from the pole, picked up a stage win, and advanced to bag the checkered flag in a double overtime finish. It was a back-to-back triumph for the 18-year-old speedster, who won Friday's ARCA Menards Series race at 'The Glen' as well.

Zilisch recently joined Red Bull's roster, alongside Gisbergen and several other renowned motorsport athletes like Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.