After a brilliant season in 2025, rising NASCAR star Connor Zilisch has plenty to look forward to heading into 2026.
Having tasted Cup Series action on a few occasions this year, the 19-year-old will race full-time with Trackhouse Racing in NASCAR's top series next season, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet, just as he did in the Xfinity Series in 2025.
However, for all his dominance and wins in the Xfinity Series, Team Penske star Joey Logano has warned Zilisch that he must be humble and not 'drink your own Kool-Aid' if he is to succeed at the top level of the sport.
Logano has warned that racing at Cup Series level is very different to doing so in the Xfinity Series, and that the young star must remain humble if he is to continue enjoying success.
Logano warns Zilisch over Cup Series setup
"I think he's better than I was at that age, and he seems to be more mature than I was at that age," Logano reflected on his own career compared to Zilisch's, via ESPN.
"It's easy as an 18- or 19-year-old to drink the Kool-Aid. He's a great driver, no doubt. He won a lot of Xfinity races. [But] Cup racing is different. Everybody is great at this level. Everybody is fantastic.
"So, you can't drink your own Kool-Aid too much where you think you're the next thing because you're going to get here and fall on your face. I lived it.
"As good as I think he is and will be, I also think he has to stay humble throughout it all and remember what's important."
One thing that could play into Zilisch's hands is the fact that he will have some very strong teammates alongside him for his rookie Cup Series campaign.
Ross Chastain is an experienced star at this stage of his career and knows how to win races, whilst on the flip side, Shane van Gisbergen is a road course master, and with Zilisch's natural ability on road courses, it could be an ideal match for the up-and-coming driver.
Factor in Zilisch's natural talent that he has shown time and time again in 2025 and it will certainly be exciting to see how NASCAR's hottest prospect performs next year.
