Connor Zilisch’s rocky NASCAR rookie year includes ‘loser’s dinner’ duties

Connor Zilisch, a 20‑year‑old rookie for Trackhouse Racing, is 34th in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings after 22 races. He has recorded eight DNFs and only one top‑10 finish, with an average finish of 28.1. His struggles have given rise to an informal “loser’s dinner” tradition among a group of drivers—Zilisch, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith, Riley Herbst and Noah Gragson—where the driver who finishes last among them pays for the group’s dinner and the expenses of the women accompanying them. Denny Hamlin, co‑owner of 23XI Racing, joked that Zilisch has become the “sugar daddy” of the group.

After an off‑week, Zilisch said the break helped reset his mindset ahead of the final 14 races, starting at Iowa Speedway. He remains under a multi‑year contract with Trackhouse Racing, but speculation links him to a future seat at Hendrick Motorsports, where Alex Bowman is set to retire after the 2027 season.