Connor Zilisch struggling to start 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season

Connor Zilisch's start to his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series has not been easy. Heading into NASCAR's first off weekend of 2026, Zilisch sits 33rd in the point standings behind Ty Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The driver of the No.

88 car is only better than Cole Custer, Cody Ware, and an injured Alex Bowman. Zilisch hasn't been the 33rd-best driver on pure pace, as some unfortunate incidents have ruined his runs. However, the Trackhouse Racing competitor has been struggling as the organization lacks speed to start 2026.

After all, Ross Chastain sits 19th in the point standings through seven events. Last year, Zilisch began to turn up his performances in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series in May, but the Cup Series is a different beast. No one expected Zilisch to light the world on fire in his rookie season; however, Trackhouse Racing has to work on giving the No.

88 car more speed moving forward. More: Shane van Gisbergen discusses good run at Martinsville in March 2026 This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Connor Zilisch struggling to start 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season