Connor Zilisch finished 14th at Circuit of the Americas, but the finishing position did not reflect how competitive he was in the NASCAR Cup Series race. The rookie ran near the front late in Stage 3 before contact in Turn 1 erased his chance to fight for the win.
Driving the No. 23 Red Bull Chevrolet on the 3.426-mile road course, Zilisch showed speed from the opening laps. He moved forward from the middle of the pack and handled multiple restarts without major mistakes. When the final caution in Stage 3 tightened the field, Connor Zilisch had positioned himself within striking distance.
Zilisch is around, but the field continues on! pic.twitter.com/kP7Je34ez9
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 1, 2026
Connor Zilisch Says COTA Result “Sucks” After Strong Run
Connor Zilisch believed the performance ranked among the best drives of his young career, even if the result did not show it.
“I feel like I drove one of the best races I’ve ever driven, and we finished 14th. So yeah, it sucks. Our Red Bull Chevrolet was really fast all day. We were putting ourselves in position there at the end, on that last caution in Stage 3, to have a chance to win the race. Then I got wrecked again in Turn 1. I don’t know if I need to do something different, but it was just one of those days.”
The car responded well in both short runs and longer green-flag stretches. Zilisch stayed composed in traffic and avoided the chaos that often defines road course restarts.
Turn 1 Contact Changes Connor Zilisch’s Finish
Connor Zilisch described two separate incidents entering the corner, including one involving Daniel Suárez.
“I know on one of them, Suarez was right behind me. It looked like he squared up and hit me. On the second one, I was already in the corner and just got T-boned. I don’t know what happened there.”
The contact forced Connor Zilisch to regroup deep in the field. Even with minor damage, the loss of track position limited what he could accomplish over the closing laps. He used heavy braking zones and technical sections of the layout to regain spots, but clean air at the front was gone.
Road courses reward rhythm. Once that rhythm breaks, recovery becomes difficult.
Connor Zilisch Builds Experience in Third Cup Start
The 14th-place finish marked progress for Connor Zilisch in his third NASCAR Cup Series start of the season.
Such a bummer man. What a fast race car. It’ll turn around soon👊🏼
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) March 2, 2026
At Circuit of the Americas, Connor Zilisch completed the race and proved he could compete with veteran drivers on a demanding circuit. He showed control under braking, patience on restarts, and confidence in wheel-to-wheel battles.
“It was good. As a racecar driver, I’m not satisfied. But I showed that I can do it.”
Connor Zilisch left Austin with more points and more belief. If the speed he displayed at Circuit of the Americas carries into upcoming events, stronger finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series could follow soon.
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