“I finished last in my Cup debut too”: NASCAR champion Kyle Busch comforts Connor Zilisch after heartbreak COTA end

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch had some encouraging words for Connor Zilisch after the rising star suffered heartbreak in his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on Sunday. Zilisch had a DNF result on his maiden Cup start.

The 18-year-old NASCAR top prospect, Zilisch, bid for a potential solid finish on his debut ended early after a violent collision with Trackhouse Racing teammate Daniel Suarez on Lap 50. The spinning Suarez’s #99 caused a cloud of smoke, which blurred the vision of the #87 car and collected him before careening into the outside SAFER barrier.

After the race, Zilisch expressed his disappointment in X with how his Cup outing ended. Responding to his post, Busch reassured the 18-year-old, sharing that he also finished last in his own Cup Series debut.

On X, encouraging Zilisch after DNF at COTA, Busch wrote:

“Your future’s bright, I finished last in my Cup debut too😅”

Kyle Busch made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2001. Driving the #84 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, he didn’t have a memorable debut as he finished 41st in the 43-driver field. That season, he made select starts in the series and struggled to find the rhythm, but the following year, as a rookie driver, he left his impact, winning two races.

It's just the beginning of a NASCAR career for the Charlotte, North Carolina, native. He is already competing in his first full-time Xfinity season with JR Motorsports and will have more Cup Series starts this season. He has the potential to do what Busch has achieved in his career. With support from veterans like Busch, his future in NASCAR remains promising.

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Kyle Busch reacts after falling short of a COTA win

Kyle Busch put in a solid performance and was in contention to end his longstanding winless streak at COTA, but he couldn’t hold off the challenge of eventual winner Christopher Bell in the closing laps. After losing the lead to Bell on Lap 91, the #8 driver lost a few more spots before finishing fifth in the race.

The battle for the lead at the end of the race between Busch, Bell, Byron, and Tyler Reddick was thrilling. In a post on X, Kyle Busch reflected on his frustration and determination after a race where he had the dominant car leading race-high 42 laps before falling short of victory.

“Led the most laps, and had the best car all day. #RowdyNation deserved that one. If we keep doing what we’re doing, it won’t be long.”

With P34, P7, and P5 finishes in the first three races, Kyle Busch stands at ninth place in the Cup Series points table.