Dale Earnhardt Jr makes Connor Zilisch prediction – Sports News
Connor Zilisch’s first full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series season might not but be over, however the 19-year-old has already secured himself a transfer to the Cup Series in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing.
Set to interchange Daniel Suarez within the No. 99 Chevrolet, Zilisch will associate with Shane van Gisbergen, whom he has already raced alongside on a handful of events at JR Motorsports within the Xfinity Series.
Like Zilisch, 36-year-old Supercars legend van Gisbergen is a newcomer to the Cup Series, having solely joined full-time this season after one yr within the Xfinity Series. However, in line with JR Motorsports proprietor Dale Earnhardt Jr., the New Zealander’s presence may show vastly helpful to the teenager, with the NASCAR Hall of Famer predicting huge issues for Zilisch in 2026.
Following Zilisch’s record-breaking ninth win of the season on the wheel of the No. 87 JRM Chevrolet, and his seventh win within the final eight races, Earnhardt previewed what he expects from the Red Bull-sponsored athlete as soon as he makes the leap to the Cup.
The 50-year-old steered, on his ‘Dale Jr. Download‘ podcast, that Zilisch might effectively “be mid-pack a lot,” partially because of Trackhouse’s “hot and cold vibe,” and partially as a result of of how a lot adjusting he should make, taking to the wheel of the NextGen car.
However, Earnhardt additionally expects that after a yr within the Cup Series, van Gisbergen can be effectively geared up to help Zilisch be taught the ropes, commenting, “Connor’s going to benefit from all of that knowledge coming in straightaway.
“And then he’ll have his own ability plus a reasonably solid race car, and then Connor then too can start to improve on the car.”
Earnhardt went on to foretell that Zilisch, well-known for his skill on highway programs, may battle “for a win on a road course” in 2026. Although relating to ovals, his expectations are more tempered.
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“Everywhere else, he’s learning an entirely new car. The short sidewall, the way this car feels, the way the car reacts and steps out, and all of those things will be very unique and different than what he’s experienced in the Xfinity car,” Earnhardt stated.
“So he’s got to build up this sort of data point or build up an entirely new notebook internally about what the car is capable of doing and how to push the car.”
Such a season could be removed from uncommon for Trackhouse, all however mirroring that of van Gisbergen.
The three-time Supercars Championship winner, who received in his Cup Series debut in 2023, has made it to victory lane on 4 events this season – all of which have been at highway programs. As for ovals, he has but to crack the highest 10, reaching a high of 14th at each Richmond Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
However, as talked about by Earnhardt, van Gisbergen believes he’s turning a nook relating to ovals. “We’re still a long way from winning a race or being complete, but I can feel and see where the time is,” he advised Earnhardt in August.
“I’m having more moments where I have a couple of good sections of a race or feel the car doing something, and I’m, ‘Oh, there it is. There’s the limit.’ And I’m getting closer to that every week. And I’m feeling it more often.”
But within the meantime, Zilisch’s focus will stay on making probably the most of the alternatives he has left to impress within the Xfinity Series. On Friday, he’ll kickstart his first Playoff marketing campaign within the Round of 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway, earlier than heading to Kansas Speedway the next week.
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