How’s it going, NASCAR fans? With the news that Daniel Suarez is out at Trackhouse at the end of the season, that number 99 car will need to be filled for 2026. With many of the larger teams full ahead of next season, that limits the number of available drivers drastically. While it’s largely understood that Connor Zilisch is the future of the team, there is some debate online as to whether or not he’s ready to take on the responsibility of being a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver. It is a big jump, competitively, between being an Xfinity Series driver and a Cup Series driver. Just ask Ty Gibbs.
With that being said, here are a few of the driver favorites to replace Daniel Suarez in the Trackhouse fold for 2026
The first (and maybe most obvious) option is to move Connor Zilisch straight up to Cup. Next year, he’ll be 19 years old, which is admittedly young. And, considering his struggles to put a full race together in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, it’s within reason for fans to want him to stay in the Xfinity Series another year to gain more seat time. That said, it’s also within reason for Trackhouse to want to fast-track him. In his first Xfinity start last year, he won at Watkins Glen. He’s won two races this year already and has made three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. In the third start, he stayed out of trouble and finished 11th.
It’s clear that Connor Zilisch is the long-term plan for the team. And Trackhouse might have the attitude of “why wait?” when it comes to giving him a full-time ride. After all, per Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Club is looking to expand to a three-car operation, and JJ mentioned Zilisch by name as a possible driver for the third car. Maybe it’s in Trackhouse’s best interest to lock him down now. Daniel Suarez has seemingly hit his ceiling with the team. Meanwhile, for Zilisch, the sky’s the limit.
On the flipside, what if Trackhouse chooses to leave Zilisch in the Xfinity Series for another year to develop? They’d need a one-year driver to fill in the 99 car, not a long-term commitment. In recent years, Ty Dillon seems to be the go-to one-and-done driver. After Germain Racing shut down, he ran part-time for Gaunt Brother Racing in 2022 (while also running part-time for JGR in the Xfinity Series). Then, he had one-year stints at both Spire (in the 77 car) and Legacy Motor Club (in the 42 car) in 2022 and 2023 respectively. For 2024, he went part-time again but returned to full-time Cup Racing with Kaulig in 2025.
Trackhouse, in something of a driver swap, could be another one-year stop for Dillon to keep Zilisch’s seat warm in 2026.
UPDATE: Our sources have told us that Dillon is actually an extremely unlikely candidate, as his relationship with Kaulig involves millions of dollars in sponsorship.
Just last week, after completing his role with the NASCAR on Prime coverage, Corey LaJoie returned to racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta. After being caught up in a massive crash, LaJoie said in an interview that the T. V. stuff was nice, but the “best seat in the house” is still behind the wheel of a racecar. Clearly, LaJoie still has the fire in him to drive. And, after being the guy at Spire and subsequently dumped by that team, there are a lot of parallels between him and Suarez. Wouldn’t it be an ironic twist of fate if LaJoie replaced Suarez for a one-and-done season until Zilisch was ready?
His deal with RWR is uncertain after the sale. Besides, LaJoie clearly wants something more. He’s long wanted to prove himself and his abilities. That was why he filled in for Chase Elliott when he got suspended back in 2023. If Trackhouse came knocking on his door with a one-year deal, it would likely be something LaJoie couldn’t pass up.
I know, this one’s a long shot. Kyle Busch likely wants to be somewhere long-term so that he can retire there. He had gone through the free agency stuff back in 2022 and didn’t much care for it. It’s very likely that KFB will retire with RCR in a few years, as much as Rowdy Nation might be dismayed to hear that. However, if given the chance, would KFB go to Trackhouse on a one-year deal? Probably not. But it would provide him with a better chance to win as Trackhouse is leaps and bounds better than RCR is currently. Again, it’s not likely but…maybe.
What do you think about this? Do you think that Zilisch is a lock for the 99 seat come 2026 or do you think they’ll let him simmer in Xfinity a little while longer? If they go that route, who do you think will replace Suarez in the 99 car? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Two NASCAR Cup Series crew members for Ross Chastain’s No. 1 team were suspended following the race at Circuit of the Americas
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
On February 17, Ubisoft released a trailer that confirmed that NASCAR would be included in The Crew Motorfest’s next season update. Details were limited at the time, but in a press release issued today, Ubisoft revealed the full details of the update ahead of its March 4 launch.
Ubisoft says drafting will affect car speed and help save fuel, implying that drafting will be a huge factor in the game, at least with these cars. You can check out this and much more on Ubisoft’s official post linked below
Earlier this Tuesday, the official The Crew Motorfest account clarified confusion around the NASCAR bundles. The Crew Credit (CC) bundles only include cosmetic team liveries, not additional cars. The 3 base Next Gen cars (Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Toyota Camry XSE, and Chevrolet ZL1) are part of the free Season 9 update and can be purchased separately.
Mitch Rasmussen, NASCAR’s Senior Director of Interactive, said in the press release:
We’re excited to bring our iconic brand to life in The Crew Motorfest. This collaboration represents another important step in our strategy to bring NASCAR into the digital spaces and places where next generation fans spend their time, giving players new ways to interact with the culture and communities they love.
The content arrives as part of Year 3 Season 9 and is officially licensed by NASCAR. You can watch the first trailer and learn more in the article linked below
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Four road courses on the schedule, and somehow that’s enough to spark one of the biggest debates in the garage. After recent comments from Brad Keselowski questioning the business value of road racing, the conversation has picked up serious steam. Is NASCAR leaning too far into it, or is the current balance about right?
There are valid points on both sides, from sponsorship realities to fan traditions to competitive diversity. Some tracks have gained traction. Others have struggled. The question isn’t just whether road courses belong, but how many make sense within a 36-race season. It’s less about extremes and more about direction. And with future schedule changes always looming, this debate probably isn’t settled anytime soon.
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