Coming off a 10-race winning season in the Xfinity (now O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series in 2025, Connor Zilisch and his fans had high expectations for his rookie season in the Cup. But things haven’t gone that way at all, as he’s been on the bad side of luck so far, with only one finish under top 20. But while some of his doubters have already started writing him off, a few NASCAR insiders believe otherwise.

Connor Zilisch is waking up to the level of difficulty in the Cup Series

During a recent episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Freddie Kraft, Tommy Baldwin, and Randy LaJoie shared their thoughts on Zilisch’s difficult start to the season. Kraft claimed that the Trackhouse rookie is having a ‘hard go’ at life in ‘little different’ Cup Series.

“I think and Conor’s running well. I mean, he’s got speed, but he’s just those you can’t make those mistakes,” the spotter said. Baldwin added that Connor Zilisch would have to ‘grow up’ following his step-up from the Xfinity Series. “It’s a whole different world, man. Cup Series is no joke,” he claimed.

Having said that, Baldwin suggested that sooner than later Connor Zilisch will get his mojo back and start delivering the results. But before that happens, he’d have to go through the rough patch he is currently going through.

“There’ll be a switch. And he’ll be fine. He just going to have to go through this stuff, you know,” Baldwin stated.

Zilisch’s first four results in the Cup Series have been 33rd, 30th, 14th, and 29th. The results from his first four races last season in the Xfinity Series were 27th, 34th, 1st, and 16th.

Having said that, while Zilisch is a 19-year-old rookie, the level of competitiveness in the Cup Series is as true for multiple Cup champions as well. Someone like Kyle Busch, who has won 2 Cup titles and 63 races, hasn’t finished inside the top 10 even once this season so far.

Justin Marks has high expectations from Zilisch

One thing common across most NASCAR legends and superstars is how they started young, immediately grabbed attention, began delivering on the expectations, and remained consistent for a sustained period of time. That has been the case for Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski, and others as well.

In Zilisch’s case, he is young, he has the attention, but he hasn’t started delivering now that he’s in the Cup Series. However, his boss, Justin Marks, is hopeful that not only is Zilisch capable of great things, but he can also potentially push the sport to a bigger stage. He claimed that the success or failure of any sport is how much the fans are attracted to the athletes. Marks gave examples of Tiger Woods in golf, Lance Armstrong in cycling, Conor McGregor in UFC, names that ‘transcended the sport’ and elevated it.

In fact, even in NASCAR’s case, drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon took the sport to newer heights. Marks believes Connor Zilisch can do the same.

“Connor has that opportunity in NASCAR. He’s a generational talent, a compelling personality and a great story. His ceiling is so high. He has the potential to be one of the biggest stars in NASCAR,” Marks said as per NYT.

Do you think Connor Zilisch is capable of achieving all that is expected of him? Let us know in the comments below.