Connor Zilisch’s statement about his future at Trackhouse ignite talks of potential Daniel Suarez replacement among fans

Connor Zilisch might have revealed what could be a major development in Trackhouse Racing's 2026 driver lineup. While discussing his upcoming Cup start at Watkins Glen, the young prospect casually mentioned he'd contend for a road course win next year, prompting fans to speculate he'd probably achieve the feat as Daniel Suarez's replacement.

It's no secret Zilisch is widely regarded the young prodigy bound for a Cup Series ride, seeing how he's Trackhouse Racing's development driver. To his credit, he proved his mark when he outdueled Shane Van Gisbergen at Sonoma.

The two drivers are set for a rematch at Watkins Glen, but it looks like they may share the track far more often. During a press conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 18-year-old driver admitted to a potential Cup start next year.

"Next year, I think my best chance to win a race would be on a road course," Connor Zilisch said via X/Steven Taranto.

This led to widespread fan discussions about his Cup future.

"Kinda confirms he’ll be in the 99 next year," a fan said.

Another fan called out the move as premature, writing,

"I know he's won a lot in Xfinity, I just feel like moving to cup is too soon. I could be wrong."

Here are some more fan reactions:

"Reminds me of 2014 Larson. You just knew the kid was destined to be a superstar." penned a fan. "They just need to announce it already," an X user said. Another wrote, "Incoming SVG 2.0" "Gotta be the worst kept secret in the garage. He’ll be in the 99 next year" a fan said

Connor Zilisch is coming off a dominant win at Dover Motor Speedway, having led 77 out of 134 laps. The result marks his fourth win of the season after 19 starts. He currently ranks second in the standings with a 56-point deficit to his JR Motorsports teammate, Justin Allgaier.

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"Chances aren't zero": Connor Zilisch eyes F1 future with American team

Connor Zilisch came up racing in karting before jumping to stock car racing. With his RedBull ties and Cadillac's F1 debut next year, the 18-year-old's talents would be worth a consideration.

Reflecting upon the same, Zilisch recently spoke with Corey LaJoie in NASCAR's Stacking Pennies.

"Growing up, that was my dream. I wanted to race F1....and now, you know, with an American team getting brought to F1, having connections with Red Bull, being kind of tied in there, I'd say the chances aren't zero" [44:05 onwards]

Zilisch also mentioned how he'll have to dedicate one or two years to gather super license points just to qualify for an F1 ride. This would mean he'd have to compete in F3, a lower-tier series.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua