A lot has been said about Connor Zilisch’s bright future over the past week. Currently driving for Trackhouse Racing, Zilisch was recently confirmed as Hendrick Motorsports’ new driver for 2028 and beyond, putting one of NASCAR’s most highly touted young talents in the lineup of one of the sport’s most legendary teams. Yet, amid all the excitement surrounding this seemingly perfect match, one fact may have been overlooked. Zilisch is still a rookie, and his 2026 campaign has been far from smooth. His struggles were once again evident at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Zilisch got his 9th DNF of the year when he drove straight into Riley Herbst’s already wrecked car. And the 20-year-old was fuming at himself in the aftermath of the incident.
“I’m so f***ing horrible! Gosh, what am I doing!” Zilisch exclaimed on the team radio.
It was already panning out to be a difficult race for Zilisch. He started from 20th and didn’t really look set for a major points haul at any point. He finished Stage 2 in 21st place, and then, with 222 laps left, his fate was sealed.
While battling with Michael McDowell, Herbst spun backward into the Turn 3 wall of the NHMS. The 23XI Racing driver came to a stop in a dangerous position on the track. Zilisch’s view of the incident was partially blocked by the car running directly in front of him, and his spotter, Stefan Parsons, immediately began warning him about the developing situation.
“Stay low,” Parsons repeatedly told the 20-year-old. But Connor Zilisch could not get his No. 88 Chevrolet slowed and positioned properly. He locked up the front tires and pushed higher up the track, putting his Chevrolet directly into the path of Herbst’s stationary Toyota.
Zilisch, thankfully, managed to avoid a direct head-on impact with the No. 35. However, his Chevrolet still clipped Herbst before continuing toward the outside wall. The car then slammed into the wall and came to a halt, bringing Zilisch’s afternoon to an early end. He was handed a DNF and officially classified 35th, adding another frustrating chapter to what has been a difficult rookie season.
Seven of Zilisch’s DNFs have come in the last 13 starts. And it just goes on to underline how difficult his campaign at the highest level has been, after turning heads all around the garage with his 10 victories in the O’Reilly Series last year. He sits 34th in the standings, with just a single top-10 finish, and his confidence has admittedly taken a major hit.
He admitted in an interview earlier this year that one of the biggest reasons behind his struggles this season has been his lack of consistency. Zilisch has shown flashes of speed, but he has struggled to convert them into meaningful results. Of course, not everything can be pinned on the rookie. The ill-handling Chevrolet cars from Trackhouse Racing have only made his life more difficult.
“You don’t see guys like Denny [Hamlin] run outside the top 12 or [Tyler] Reddick or people who have been really good this year. Those guys are always inside the top 10 running well, but when you go from fifth on back, I mean, it’s just anybody can run well on any given week,” Zilisch said on Denny Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental podcast last month.
The overwhelming majority of fans and pundits don’t see Zilisch as a flop. He’s getting the benefit of the doubt, owing to his age, with many feeling that he was pushed to the Cup Series too early. Before his Hendrick Motorsports move, however, he has to improve. There won’t be any excuses after he’s had two full Cup Series seasons under his belt.
Hendrick move raises the stakes for Connor Zilisch
Zilisch will spend another season with Trackhouse before he takes over the No. 48 from Alex Bowman at HMS in 2028. And despite the difficulties he has faced this season, owner Rick Hendrick views him as a special talent.
Hendrick described Zilisch as a “truly gifted young racer”, adding that when someone with his ability becomes available, you “do everything you can to bring them into your organization.” The opportunity is enormous, but former Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick believes it also comes with significantly greater expectations.
“We will definitely find out if it was overhyped or hyped enough. We spoke to Alex Bowman about the 48. Now there’s just no way out, right? Like, there’s a way out right now for Connor with the Trackhouse situation and the way that the cars run with the results on the racetrack. Those excuses don’t live at Hendrick,” Harvick said on his Happy Hour podcast.
Harvick’s point highlights the difference between Zilisch’s current environment and what awaits him at Hendrick Motorsports.
They have a staggering history. 15 Cup championships and 322 Cup victories. Zilisch will also have three established title contenders around him in Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and William Byron, along with championship-winning personnel and extensive technical resources.
HMS, unlike many other teams, won’t hire a youngster just to help them with their “learning curve”. Trackhouse, too, would have hoped to win races with Zilisch, of course, but they’re not near the level of HMS.
The team owned by Justin Marks has endured a difficult 2026 season, making it easier to explain away poor results as a team issue. That luxury will disappear at Hendrick.
For Zilisch, the move represents a tremendous opportunity to prove that his potential is real. But it will also remove many of the explanations available to him today. At HMS, the expectation will be simple: deliver.