Denny Hamlin has worst NASCAR heartbreak since Dale Earnhardt in 1990
The blokes evaluation the 2025 NASCAR championship weekend, with Kyle Larson’s Cup Collection title, Denny Hamlin’s heartbreak and extra.
Connor Zilisch will drive the No. 88 automotive for Trackhouse Racing in his rookie Cup Collection season.Zilisch’s teammate, Shane van Gisbergen, will swap from the No. 88 to the No. 97, a quantity important to his household’s racing historical past.
As if there weren’t sufficient expectations piled upon Connor Zilisch as he approaches his rookie season within the Cup Collection, he’s been tagged with the quantity 88, which has a protracted and storied NASCAR historical past.
Whereas profitable 10 Xfinity Collection races this previous season, Zilisch drove the No. 88 Chevrolet owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports. Initially tapped to switch Daniel Suarez subsequent season in Trackhouse Racing’s No. 99 Chevy, Zilisch will as an alternative take over the No. 88 from Trackhouse teammate Shane van Gisbergen, who’ll swap to the No. 97.
That, too, has some historical past behind it — although far, distant. SVG drove a No. 97 automotive to 3 championships and 80 victories within the Australian Supercars Collection. It was additionally the quantity utilized by his father, Robert, throughout his racing profession.
“It’s a quantity that imply loads to my household and me,” van Gisbergen mentioned by way of a workforce press launch.
From Darrell Waltrip to Dale Earnhardt Jr., a profitable historical past
Zilisch’s Xfinity Collection workforce proprietor — Dale Jr. — is among the many NASCAR Corridor of Famers who wheeled the No. 88 to many Cup Collection wins. It began in 1954 with Buck Baker, who took a No. 88 Oldsmobile to victory on a half-mile filth monitor in Wilson, N.C.
Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison and Dale Jarrett every had lengthy runs within the 88 earlier than Earnhardt Jr. took it over in 2008. Alex Bowman gained a race in 2019 and once more in 2020 earlier than switching to the No. 48 at Hendrick Motorsports.
With Trackhouse taking the quantity this yr, van Gisbergen’s rookie Cup season was highlighted by his 5 consecutive road-course wins.
“I actually have large sneakers to fill, however hopefully I’ll have the ability to carry that on,” Zilisch mentioned.
The profitable historical past behind SVG’s new No. 97 is not as prolonged because the No. 88, however Kurt Busch gained 14 races in a Jack Roush-owned No. 97 Ford between 2002-05. The one different drivers to take a No. 97 to Victory Lane have been Invoice Amick (as soon as) and Parnelli Jones (twice) within the Fifties.
