Connor Zilisch’s father drops a 3-word verdict on son’s unfortunate end to Cup debut

NASCAR rookie Connor Zilisch made his Cup Series debut in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix but saw his race cut short after contact with Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez. Following the incident, Zilisch’s father shared a brief reaction to his son’s misfortune at COTA, expressing his disappointment with the ordeal.

Connor Zilisch is competing in his first full-time Xfinity Series season, driving the #88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. The young driver has already made a strong impression, earning his second series victory in just seven starts. His first career win came at Watkins Glen International, the same venue where he made his NASCAR debut, showcasing his rapid rise in the sport.

On lap 50 of 95 of the race, Daniel Suarez spun off on the track causing a cloud of smoke which blurred Zilisch's vision, eventually crashing into the #99 Chevrolet of his Trackhouse teammate before ending up in his the SAFER barrier. Following the end of his race, the JRM driver's father Jim Zilisch took to his X account and expressed his disappointment with the race-ending incident.

"Bad luck continues" he wrote on X.

Connor Zilisch’s weekend at COTA had its highs and lows. The 18-year-old secured his second career Xfinity Series victory in dominant fashion, starting from pole and overcoming multiple challenges, including a penalty, to win the Focused Health 250 on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing's Christopher Bell continued his strong start to the season, securing back-to-back Cup Series victories with wins in the Ambetter Health 400 and the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Phoenix Raceway in Arizona for the Shriners Children’s 500.

"All I saw was a cloud of smoke": Connor Zilisch reacts to race-ending crash in tough Cup Series debut

Connor Zilisch entered the Cup Series race after a dominant Xfinity Series victory on Saturday. Starting from P14 in the seventh row, he maintained his track position until lap 50 when he collided with Daniel Suárez's spinning Chevrolet. The incident ended Zilisch’s race early, making him the first driver out and leaving him with a last-place finish in his Cup Series debut.

After the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s protégé, Connor Zilisch, reflected on the incident, admitting that it was "too late" for him to avoid making contact with Suárez. (via Speed Sport)

“All I saw was a cloud of smoke, and by the time I saw him it was way too late to do anything,” Zilisch said. “I saw him spinning off to the left and I thought he was going to keep going in that direction or stay there. I guess he flipped back right and he started coming towards me." Zilisch said

“Really unfortunate way to end my Cup Series debut. We were one of the top-five fastest cars in the second stage there. I went from outside the top-30 to 14th, and I felt really good about our Chevy[...]We made a lot of gains from practice and qualifying. It’s just an unfortunate way to end it.” he added

Zilisch will now shift his focus to the GOVX 200 at Phoenix Raceway on March 8 at 5:00 PM ET. Fans can catch the race live on CW Network, MRN, and SiriusXM.