Eighteen-year-old Connor Zilisch will turn out to be the newest to make his Cup debut when he does so this weekend at Circuit of the Americas.
For present Cup drivers, their first begins have been memorable for varied causes — from passing Jeff Gordon to wrecking with Jimmie Johnson to being collected in a fiery crash.
The highest two nationwide collection will race a brand new structure for the primary street course of the season.
Zilisch will look to make his personal recollections as he has in his Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Sequence debuts.
Zilisch received the pole in his Craftsman Truck debut final 12 months at COTA. Zilisch locked up his brakes and went off track within the first nook of the race and fell to thirty fourth within the 35-truck area. He rebounded to complete fourth.
Zilisch grew to become the second youngest driver to win within the Xfinity Sequence final September at Watkins Glen when he received in his collection debut.
Right here’s a have a look at what different Cup drivers went by way of the primary time they raced in NASCAR’s premier collection:
Ryan Blaney
First race: Kansas, Might 10, 2014
Began: twenty first
Completed: twenty seventh
“I believe the large factor that stands out to me, I used to be working Vehicles full-time that 12 months with Brad (Keselowski’s workforce), we have been racing that very same weekend, so I used to be doing double responsibility. I keep in mind we simply acquired performed training vehicles on Friday after which Cup automobiles exit and apply.
“I simply keep in mind, vehicles are fairly draggy, broad open round Kansas. I keep in mind stepping into that Cup automobile in 2014 and I’m taking place the frontstretch and I’m like ‘Holy crap, I’m going actually quick proper now.’
“The feeling of pace distinction was simply huge to me again then. It was an enormous distinction in pace. I simply keep in mind that overwhelming sensation. Not solely have been the straightaways quick, (however) the corners, you’re ripping by way of the corners.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
First race: Coca-Cola 600, Might 29, 2011
Began: ninth
Completed: eleventh
Observe: Stenhouse made his debut rather than Trevor Bayne, who was out resulting from a medical problem.
“I keep in mind going to the store that we’re in now (at Hyak Motorsports) to get fitted within the seat within the Wooden Brothers automobile again then. It was all form of actually wild.
“… I keep in mind Jimmie Johnson certified very early on and he got here again out to pit street to nearly see if I wanted something, which was tremendous cool. Then we certified. Clearly, going out late was at all times a profit at Charlotte. We certified ninth.
“I hit the wall 3 times (within the race). We have been means too tight. Lastly, we acquired the automobile driving good and we have been form of working higher. … We ended up ending eleventh. It was so cool.
“Now the Wooden Brothers act like I drove for them for 5, six years (as an alternative of 1 race). They make you are feeling like household. I believe that’s essentially the most particular half. Clearly, attending to drive the long-lasting 21 and it was tremendous last-minute. Positively a begin I’ll always remember. I’ve nonetheless acquired the image of the verify I acquired for that. That was sick, too.”
Chris Buescher
First race: California Speedway, March 22, 2015
Began: thirty third
Completed: twentieth
Observe: Buescher acquired this chance by way of a diverse set of circumstances. It began in February when Kyle Busch was injured within the Xfinity race at Daytona and missed a number of weeks. David Ragan grew to become his substitute, leaving the No. 34 automobile. Brett Moffitt moved into the No. 34. That weekend, Brian Vickers was dominated out of the No. 55 automobile because of the recurrence of blood clots and Moffitt moved to the No. 55. That opened the way in which for Buescher to drive the No. 34.
“I used to be sitting at IHOP that (Friday) morning consuming and Robbie Reiser known as and he stated, ‘I want you on the observe yesterday.’ I used to be like, ‘Oh, why?’ He stated, ‘You’re driving the 34 automobile.’ And it was simply mass chaos.
“I keep in mind that preliminary dialog, how do I get out of there as quick as doable, get to the observe, making an attempt to get a seat match that was not poured for me. Had by no means been in a carbon seat earlier than that day, so making an attempt to get that to suit.
“I keep in mind getting pulled out of Xfinity apply as a result of I needed to be there for the rookie assembly in Cup. That didn’t go over properly on the Xfinity (workforce) facet, clearly, but it surely was obligatory to have the ability to make laps. It was chaos.
” … I’m not one to get starstruck or don’t get massive ups or downs, (however) I do keep in mind at one level on one of many restarts passing Jeff Gordon down the frontstretch. I used to be like, ‘Huh, that’s Jeff Gordon we simply rolled by. That’s form of cool.’ My one second of being starstruck at our sport, I believe we had new tires and he got here rolling again by fairly shortly.”
Carson Hocevar
First race: WWT Raceway, June 4, 2023
Began: twenty sixth
Completed: thirty sixth
Observe: Hocevar’s first begin got here unexpectedly. NASCAR suspended Chase Elliott one race for deliberately wrecking Denny Hamlin within the Coca-Cola 600. Corey LaJoie was tapped to drive Elliott’s automobile that weekend at WWT Raceway and Hocevar was put in LaJoie’s automobile for the race. Hocevar was working sixteenth when a brake failure led to him crashing.
“(That first begin) was a blur. It couldn’t have occurred at a greater time. It couldn’t have occurred at a extra excellent time for me in my profession. It’s actually the rationale I’m … right here. It was … three days of discover, a little bit of chaos earlier than the race and a lot data that I simply form of sat again and stated I’m simply going to drive a race automobile.
“You’ve all this SMT (information), you have got all this (in-car) footage. The one factor I actually checked out and digested was I watched some in-car footage and went racing. I ran these 70 laps (earlier than brake points despatched him into the wall) and also you’re there with Cup homeowners you’ve by no means seen earlier than and so they’re standing on high of their hauler. I keep in mind strolling from the infield care middle and getting head nods from homeowners that I’ve by no means even met or been face-to-face with but.
“ … I keep in mind somebody I’m fairly shut with now, introduced me to their hauler pre-race and instructed me how you can get out of the way in which once I’m getting lapped. Humorous sufficient, I used to be proper behind him once we broke. I haven’t even talked about it to him. I would chuckle about it with him.”
Chase Elliott
First race: Martinsville, March 29, 2015
Began: twenty seventh
Completed: thirty eighth
“Yeah, it’s simply actually loopy that it’s been that lengthy, to be trustworthy. It’s simply passed by so quick. Yearly has felt so completely different to me. I believe folks have a look at careers and so they consider simply this one massive storybook, with yearly being a unique chapter. And to me, it’s nearly like yearly is its personal ebook. That’s how completely different the seasons really feel to me.
“Simply a lot adjustments. I imply, I used to be 20 or 21 years outdated my first 12 months, and now I’m nearly 30 and identical to — for everybody standing right here that’s nearly 30 years outdated or older than 30, how a lot did your life change from 20 to 30? How a lot completely different did you have a look at issues from 20 to 30? That’s simply an enormous chunk of your life that simply makes issues really feel completely different, you already know?
“Yearly has its personal story and it’s personal really feel. I’ve loved that journey. A few of its been actually good … a few of it’s not been so good. However there’s a variety of experiences in all of that that I believe may help form you and mould you to be higher, and the one factor you’ll be able to management is in the present day transferring ahead.”
Bubba Wallace
First race: Pocono, June 11, 2017
Began: sixteenth
Completed: twenty sixth
Observe: Wallace made his Cup debut within the No. 43 automobile for Richard Petty Motorsports rather than Aric Almirola, who suffered a T5 compression fracture in a crash at Kansas Speedway.
“My first Cup begin? (What stands out are) the restarts, the place I assumed I used to be good at restarts and I used to be not within the Cup automobile.
“Dashing on pit street (3 times). That was my first time doing a digital sprint. I sped by way of sections, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 after which coming again and serving that penalty, I sped that point once more. I don’t suppose I’ve made that many errors since 2017, however only a cool day.
“I keep in mind sitting within the automobile the primary time and the way completely different all the things felt. The visible standpoint of being within the Cup automobile, I felt like I used to be in a limousine. It was a bizarre feeling, however a variety of enjoyable.”
Austin Cindric
First race: Daytona 500, Feb. 14, 2021
Began: thirty ninth
Completed fifteenth
“I consider three issues. One, making an attempt to make the race as an open automobile, which was very, very near not taking place. I’d say the second, a … deliberate effort on a restart to take the lead with Joey Logano pushing me tandem draft (model). Was the good factor ever. Had a smile on my face. Very cool expertise. And the final one … I acquired to make use of (Ryan Blaney’s) spotter (after Blaney wrecked out).
“I’d say the damaging reminiscence was main the Fords down pit street on the right technique and we fumbled the pit cease someway. I believe all of us are to form of blame for that after which just about popping out, shedding the draft and being irrelevant till we acquired into the large fireball wreck (on the final lap triggered by teammates Logano and Brad Keselowski).”
Daniel Suarez
First race: Daytona 500, Feb. 26, 2017
Began: nineteenth
Completed: twenty ninth
“My very first Cup Sequence race ever was the Daytona 500 in 2017. Issues acquired somewhat bit loopy that offseason (Carl Edwards’ sudden retirement led to Suarez taking his journey), and I ended up racing the Cup Sequence in 2017 when issues weren’t deliberate that means.
“I had by no means had a begin in any Cup race earlier than. It was very overwhelming. A whole lot of issues have been happening. It was good. I felt that it was begin. Like I at all times say, the perfect is but to come back.”
Alex Bowman
First race: Daytona 500, Feb. 23, 2014
Began: twenty ninth
Completed: twenty third
“My first Daytona 500 was 2014. It was my first Cup race. Actually irritating weekend. Went down there not locked into the present, didn’t qualify with sufficient pace to lock in, so needed to race our means into (by way of) the Duel.
“On the time you needed to end within the high 15 within the Duel to lock in and we completed 14th, so it was actually shut. Glad to have the ability to be in that race.
“I simply keep in mind strolling out on the motive force intro stage on Sunday and seeing so many individuals, extra folks than I had ever seen in my life.”
William Byron
First race: Daytona 500, Feb. 18, 2018
Began: thirty third
Completed: twenty third
“It’s form of a blur. I really feel like I wrecked so much. I believe I crashed within the Duel after which we had a reasonably good begin to the race after which I had a couple of incidents within the race.
“I keep in mind ending the race and was form of simply comfortable about that, comfortable to complete the race, comfortable to see the checkered flag.
“The expertise was simply loopy, simply the joy round driver intros was actually cool.”
Tyler Reddick
First race: Daytona 500, Feb. 17, 2019
Began: thirty ninth
Completed twenty seventh:
“What stands out about it? Wrecking into Jimmie Johnson coming to pit street, that’s just about it.
“I keep in mind coming to pit street and somebody behind didn’t verify up or didn’t imply to get down there behind us and did and ran me over, lifted my rear tires off the bottom. Sliding into Jimmie, we crashed on pit street earlier than we make our first inexperienced flag cease.
“Not the way you wish to begin your Cup profession.”
