“Future cup champion”: NASCAR world reacts to Connor Zilisch’s unfortunate wreck in his first-ever Cup Series start

Connor Zilisch’s highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Circuit of the Americas ended in disappointment after a crash with his Trackhouse Racing teammate, Daniel Suarez. The 18-year-old, collided with Suarez’s car after the latter spun out, leading to an early end to his first Cup Series outing.

Connor Zilisch, making his first-ever start in the NASCAR Cup Series, had a challenging race at COTA. The Trackhouse Racing driver struggled early but made significant progress in Stage 2, climbing from outside the top 30 to 14th. He was on track for a solid finish before misfortune struck in the final stage.

While running mid-pack, Suarez spun out in front of Connor Zilisch, who was unable to avoid contact. His No. 87 Chevrolet slammed into Daniel Suarez’s No. 99, taking both drivers out of the race. Zilisch was eventually classified in 37th place, while Suarez finished 36th. Both drivers were checked and released from the infield care center. Despite the disappointing result, Zilisch remained positive about his experience.

"I've had so much fun preparing for this event," he said. "That second stage driving from outside the top 30 to 14th was a lot of fun passing a lot of guys I used to watch on TV growing up. Hopefully, I'll get the chance to come back and do this again. I had an absolute blast driving through the field and just wish it didn't end early." (via Nashville Tennessean)

A clip from of the incident was shared by NASCAR on their official X handle. The caption read,

“A tough end to his debut.”

Fans took to social media after the incident to share their reactions to it. While many were disappointed by the crash, others focused on Connor Zilisch’s strong performance before the wreck, praising his skills behind the wheel.

"Future Cup champion," one fan wrote.

"@ConnorZilisch had a great car today and was passing like a pro. Bummer," a user added.

"Wow, this is crazy seeing what the driver sees and navigates through in a wreck. There was no chance to see that crash coming!" another fan observed.

"87 taken out by the car he’ll drive next year," a fan pointed out.

"This is bullshit. First Ross Chastain wrecks five people on the first lap, now he’s going after his own teammates. I’m really starting to think he hasn’t changed since last year. Plus Alex, can none of my drivers catch a break today???" another fan tweeted.

"That hurt," one person simply wrote.

Connor Zilisch’s next scheduled race will be in the Xfinity Series, where he will race with JR Motorsports. He has already had a win in his Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen and has shown strong performances in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and IMSA endurance racing.

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Connor Zilisch shares the mindset that kept him calm under pressure at COTA

Despite the setback in his Cup debut, Zilisch had a strong weekend at COTA. The day before the Cup Series race, he took a win in the Xfinity Series event.

Connor Zilisch, who started on pole, faced an early penalty for entering a closed pit road, forcing him to restart from the back. Later, he went through a tire rub after contact with Corey Heim during a late restart.

However, he remained composed and fought his way back to the front, leading a race-high 26 laps before making a race-winning pass on teammate Carson Kvapil with nine laps remaining. When asked how he stayed calm despite the difficulties, Connor Zilisch credited his ability to block out distractions.

"You just can't let the noise get to you, you got to keep doing your thing no matter what, whether it's a good talk or bad talk, you got to keep doing it. Prepare the same way, and the results will come," he said (via CW Sports).

Zilisch’s rapid progress through NASCAR’s ranks has gotten him attention from top teams and sponsors. He is currently backed by Redbull, which has made its return back to NASCAR after a 13-year break.