Connor Zilisch will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut Sunday in the Circuit of the Americas (1:30 p.m. CT, FOX). Zilisch started racing go-karts when he was five. He moved up to the ARCA Menards Series in 2023 and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series in 2024.

The NASCAR Cup Series is headed to the storied Austin track, Circuit of the Americas, this week. The road course has plenty of drama on its own, but changes to the track this year, some bubbling beef in the garage and an 18-year-old phenom’s debut make this Sunday’s race a must-see event.

Zilisch, 18, is doing double duty as he will be qualifying again on Saturday for his Cup Series debut with Trackhouse Racing. Earning the pole for Saturday’s race is just the first checkbox of the weekend for the Mooresville native.