NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Xfinity: NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Dover Jul 19, 2025 Dover, Delaware, USA NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch stands on pit road prior to the BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway. Dover Dover Motor Speedway Delaware USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMatthewxO Harenx 20250719_cec_bm2_138
NASCAR is buzzing over the rapid ascent of Connor Zilisch, driving the No. 88 for JR Motorsports, after a dominant 2025 Xfinity Series campaign. The young talent has racked up nine victories in his last eight starts, bringing him to the cusp of Kyle Busch’s single-season record of 13 from 2010, with seven races remaining. His impressive form has secured him as the regular-season champion, carrying a significant points lead into the playoffs. However, Zilisch’s transition to the full-time Cup Series in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing, alongside Shane van Gisbergen, presents a considerably different challenge.
He has already gained experience in Cup competition, participating in three starts, including an 11th-place finish at Atlanta. The shift from Xfinity cars to the Next Gen machine, coupled with the demanding nature of oval racing, could prove particularly challenging. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Zilisch’s former owner and crew chief, offered a candid assessment of what to expect.
On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast, Junior delivered a six-word verdict: “first year to sort of be rough.” He pointed out Trackhouse’s “hot and cold vibe,” noting that the team’s dominant performance at the Coca-Cola 600 contrasted with inconsistent results elsewhere. This volatility could leave Zilisch frequently positioned in mid-pack as he adapts to the Cup Series. Drawing from Zilisch’s limited Cup exposure – including a DNF at COTA after a tangle with Daniel Suarez – Junior emphasized the need for patience, mirroring Noah Gragson’s struggles post-Xfinity dominance.
The core of Junior’s caution lies in the considerable gap between Xfinity and Cup machinery. He explained that Zilisch is “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 experiencing in the Xfinity car.” Unlike the more forgiving Xfinity cars with taller sidewalls, the Next Gen Cup car demands precision amidst dirty air and tighter margins for error – a common rookie pitfall.
Junior compared Zilisch’s journey to that of Chase Briscoe at Stewart-Haas Racing, where it took a full season to establish a “new notebook” on the car’s limits without frequent crashes and wins at Phoenix. However, Briscoe’s early struggles, including DNFs, foreshadowed Zilisch’s potential challenges.
Despite this, Junior sees positive aspects, particularly on road courses where Zilisch thrives. “Wouldn’t be surprised if Connor battles for a win in a road course. I think that’s not stepping out of bounds,” he noted, citing Shane van Gisbergen’s successful setup tweaks for the Next Gen car following his own year-one learning curve. SVG, who debuted in the Cup in 2023 and now understands the car’s needs, will hand Zilisch a dialed-in machine—potentially fast from the jump at tracks like Sonoma, where Zilisch has already won in Xfinity.
Yet, Junior tempered optimism: “So, he’s got to build up this sort of data point or buildup… a new notebook internally about what the car’s capable of doing.” This echoes Briscoe’s story, where avoiding toe-link breaks and bad-air mishaps turned a rough start into consistency. For Zilisch, smart survival in an opener like Daytona could set a solid tone, but expect some 20th-place runs turning into unplanned pit stops.
As Dale Jr. unpacks these transitions, his insights extend beyond rookies to the veterans chasing glory in these playoffs.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned his podcast lens to the playoffs, zeroing in on Denny Hamlin as the driver best equipped for that long-sought championship. At 44, Hamlin has grabbed three Daytona 500s and 59 Cup wins, but the title has slipped away in finals at Phoenix time and again, like his 2020 title run in Phoenix, where he failed to lead a single lap and finished fourth, or 2021’s late-race fade at Martinsville when he was spun out by Alex Bowman.
Junior praised Hamlin’s evolution, stating, “Every year we say, ‘Man, this is his best shot.’ What Denny’s been able to do over the last handful of seasons to be one of the favorites, one of the contenders year after year after year. And literally every single year it seems like he’s even better.”
This build-up culminated in Hamlin’s recent Gateway win, his fifth of 2025, clinching a Round of 12 spot despite Joe Gibbs Racing’s crew shake-ups. Junior doubled down on Hamlin’s edge, saying, “It really does feel like he’s in the best position he’s ever been in… Right now, I think we can say, maybe for the first time, that he’s the best car in the field at this point.”
Unlike peers fading with age, Hamlin’s work ethic, honed under Joe Gibbs’ guidance, keeps him sharp against youngsters. With the No. 11 Camry humming, Junior views this as Hamlin’s window to finally hoist the trophy before Phoenix.