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The key to Zilisch becoming NASCAR's next big star: 'Learn to lose'

Related Topics: NASCAR, NASCAR Cup Series, Kyle Busch

The biggest prospect in recent NASCAR history joins the Cup Series field beginning in 2026.

He hails from North Carolina, stands just under six feet tall, and has a résumé so impressive that he was signed as a Red Bull athlete at 18. Accompanying the raw talent behind the wheel is a wide smile and an infectiously engaging personality. In what seems like no time at all, he's won races across the United States and Europe, breaking records along the way.

The name, for those unfamiliar or who didn't hear it enough during his historic rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he won 10 races and the regular season championship, is Connor Zilisch.