Rookie Connor Zilisch suffers ninth DNF of the 2026 NASCAR Cup season

Connor Zilisch, the sole NCS Rookie of the Year contender, exited the race after 222 laps when a crash involving Riley Herbst unfolded ahead of him. Herbst's heavy impact with the outside wall obscured Zilisch's view, and although spotter Stefan Parsons repeatedly told him to stay low, Zilisch locked his front brakes and pushed up the track, colliding with the now-stationary No. 35 Toyota. He avoided a direct hit but still clipped Herbst before his own car slammed into the wall and lost oil pressure, finishing 35th.

The incident marked Zilisch's ninth DNF in 25 Cup starts this year and his seventh in the last 13 races, with a total of 5,278 laps completed, the fewest among full-time drivers. Compared with recent ROTY winners, his DNF count is notably higher. Eleven races remain, offering a chance to improve his rookie record.