{"id":527454,"date":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/527454\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T19:32:07","slug":"nascar-insiders-react-to-connor-zilisch-struggles-in-rookie-cup-series-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/527454\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR insiders react to Connor Zilisch struggles in rookie Cup Series season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Connor Zilisch<\/a> entered his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series<\/a> with high expectations. However, several insiders say his early results simply reflect the steep learning curve drivers face at the sport\u2019s highest level.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the latest episode of the Door Bumper Clear<\/a> podcast, veteran spotter Freddie Kraft explained that even the most talented young drivers often underestimate the jump from the lower series to Cup competition: \u201cHe\u2019s having a hard go at it,\u201d Kraft said<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s learning that Cup racing is a little different. It\u2019s a big step.\u201d<\/p>\n

Continuing, Kraft recalled a conversation he had with Jesse Love<\/a> after Love made his own Cup debut at Bristol Motor Speedway: \u201cI said to him, \u2018Where\u2019d you think you were going to run when you went to Bristol?\u2019\u201d Kraft added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018Man, I thought I\u2019d go in there with a good Richard Childress Racing car and run top ten.\u2019 He said, \u2018I couldn\u2019t run top 30. I was doing all I could. It\u2019s unbelievable how big that leap is to the Cup Series.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Kraft, Zilisch has shown speed. Still, he must eliminate even the smaller errors: \u201cConnor\u2019s running well. He\u2019s got speed,\u201d Kraft said. \u201cBut you just can\u2019t make the littlest mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Tommy Baldwin echoed that sentiment, emphasizing how unforgiving the Cup Series can be for younger drivers: \u201cIt\u2019s all the small things. All the things that matter,\u201d Baldwin explained. \u201cIt\u2019s like, you\u2019ve got to grow up. You\u2019re an adult now. Good luck. Go out there and see how you do. It\u2019s a whole different world, man. Cup Series is no joke.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the struggles, Baldwin believes Zilisch\u2019s adjustment period is simply part of the process: \u201cThere will be a switch, and he\u2019ll be fine,\u201d Baldwin added. \u201cHe\u2019s just going to have to go through this stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moreover, former NASCAR driver Randy LaJoie added that the level of competition in the Cup Series is unlike anything drivers face in the lower divisions: \u201cWhen those guys put those helmets on, they\u2019re ready for battle,\u201d LaJoie elaborated. \u201cThey\u2019re the best that we\u2019ve got, in the Cup Series.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alas, LaJoie pointed out that while Zilisch had strong performances earlier in his career, particularly in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the challenges in Cup are far greater: \u201cConnor did a great job, but he got messed around a couple times there at COTA,\u201d LaJoie explained. \u201cHe\u2019s definitely not doing what he did in the Xfinity Series.\u201d<\/p>\n

For now, the insiders believe Zilisch\u2019s rookie season will continue to be a learning experience as he adapts to the speed and intensity of NASCAR\u2019s premier series. At just 19-years old though, he could be fine when it\u2019s all said and done.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Connor Zilisch entered his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series with high expectations. However, several insiders say…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":527455,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[446],"tags":[49,48,634,82],"class_list":["post-527454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-nascar","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/527454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=527454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/527454\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/527455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=527454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=527454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=527454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}