Dale Earnhardt Jr. Backs Connor Zilisch as NASCAR’s Next Mainstream Breakout Star
Connor Zilisch never expected to waltz into the Cup Series and start bagging top five results from the get go, but it did prove to be a bit more difficult than anticipated. But has the belief in him faded for those who hailed him as the sport’s next big thing? Not by any means.
Zilisch’s best result of 2026 came at the Circuit of the Americas where he finished 14th, and that was seconded by his 18th place result in Darlington last Sunday. It was a commendable result considering he’s a rookie. It reignited the hype, and Dale Earnhardt Jr .
, insisted that he would make waves on and off the track. NASCAR has seen its fair share of racing superstars come and go over the past few years. But none of them have been able to take it to new audiences around the world and grab their attention.
Dale Jr. believes Zilisch can do that. Dale Jr.
said on SPEED with Harvick and Buxton , “I think he’s got the driving part covered. That is going to work out, right? What I’m excited about is what he might do for us off the track.