Connor Zilisch welcomes Kyle Busch’s RCR crew chief to his team for rookie NASCAR Cup Series season

Connor Zilisch will make his full-time NASCAR Cup Series rookie campaign next year with Trackhouse Racing, who would be paired with key Kyle Busch ally in RCR, Randall Burnett. He would act as his crew chief in Zilisch's freshman year in the Cup Series.

Since 2020, Burnett had been a part of the RCR squad, where he first guided Tyler Reddick before being the crew chief to Busch. While the latter joined the squad in 2023, which was coupled with three race wins in his first season with the team, the No.8 driver-crew chief pair has been unable to return to the victory lane in over two years.

Though the squad has not escaped its winless exile, Randall Burnett is seemingly forging his own path now, as he would leave RCR before completing a decade's worth of work with the team, to join Trackhouse Racing for the 2026 season:

"NEWS: Welcome to The House, Randall Burnett! He joins as Connor Zilisch's crew chief for 2026."

Trackhouse Racing

@TeamTrackhouse

NEWS: Welcome to The House, Randall Burnett! He joins as @ConnorZilisch's crew chief for 2026.

Subsequently, Connor Zilisch shares his excitement to partner up with the seasoned crew chief, as he wrote:

"Stoked to welcome Randall to the team! Can’t wait for next year."

Connor Zilisch

@ConnorZilisch

Stoked to welcome Randall to the team! Can’t wait for next year.

Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch has been a Trackhouse Racing development driver since 2024 and is the favorite to bag the Xfinity Series championship this year.

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Connor Zilisch will be giving his 100 percent in his first full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series

Connor Zilisch driving the No. 87 Trackhouse Racing car at the NASCAR Cup Series Watkins Glen race weekend - Source: Imagn

Connor Zilisch has won an impressive nine races in the Xfinity Series field (with one win credited for Parker Kligerman's drive in Daytona). This has helped him amass a massive 85-point lead over the cutline in the first round of the playoffs.

So, knowing the prowess that Zilisch holds, Trackhouse Racing announced that Zilisch would replace Daniel Suarez for the 2026 season just over a month ago. Ectstatic with the opportunity given to him, the 19-year-old said (via Trackhouse Racing):

"This day has been a dream of mine for a long time... Cup racing has been the goal since joining with Chevrolet and Trackhouse, and while I didn't know it would come this soon, I feel like I'm ready. I know the challenge that awaits entering the Cup Series as a full-time driver, but I feel that with the support of Trackhouse and Chevrolet, this is the right situation for me."

"I won't be making any predictions for success next year. All I promise is to put in 100 percent effort, learn all that I can, plus have a little bit of fun along the way!"

However, before the onset of his rookie Cup Series campaign, the Charlotte-born driver would be focusing on getting the Xfinity Series title under his belt in his rookie full-time season.