Connor Zilisch can not catch a break. The rookie entered the 2026 season together with his hype sky-high. The 19-year-old for Trackhouse Racing practically received the O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence Championship in 2025. He now races within the No. 88 within the , the place he was a sufferer of an incident on lap 1 at Chicagoland Speedway.
Zilisch started the race in twenty first place. Because the automobiles took the inexperienced flag, the sector rounded the primary turns and onto the backstretch. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. can be within the incident. Stenhouse Jr. received pinched by John Hunter Nemechek, triggering the automobiles behind to be caught in a series response. The victims have been Ryan Preece and Zilisch.
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Zilisch’s automotive suffered intensive harm. “We’re destroyed. I’m sorry, guys. Oh my, cannot get something to go for me,” Zilisch commented over his radio in frustration.
Within the final 7 races, the No. 88 automotive has been concerned in an incident 5 instances, together with at Chicagoland Speedway. He has just one top-20 end in factors races since Texas Motor Speedway (Might 3). Zilisch is thirty fourth within the driver standings, worse than each full-time driver exterior of Cody Ware.
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Fallout of Zilisch’s Points
Scoring Pylon at Chicagoland Speedway.(Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photos)Scoring Pylon at Chicagoland Speedway&interval;
Regardless of continued issues, Zilisch is anticipated to stay with Trackhouse Racing past this season. His present deal is alleged to run by way of 2027. The talent could be very clearly there with Zilisch, as he narrowly misplaced the O’Reilly Auto Elements Sequence Championship to Jesse Love in 2025. Finally week’s race at Sonoma Raceway, Zilisch proved power with a Seventh-place end.
Trackhouse Racing has typically struggled. Ross Chastain, who previously certified for the ultimate 4 of the 2023 Cup Sequence Playoffs, is twenty second within the driver standings by way of Sonoma. Shane van Gisbergen is in 14th, largely resulting from his road-course dominance, which incorporates 2 race wins in 2026.
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Zilisch is listed OUT for the rest of the race at Chicagoland. He’ll now look ahead to subsequent week’s race on Sunday, July 12, at EchoPark (Atlanta) Speedway.
This story was initially printed by on Jul 5, 2026, the place it first appeared within the part. Add Athlon Sports activities as a
