Connor Zilisch and his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Circuit of the Americas came with a great deal of anticipation.
That seems to be the way things work now. A high-school-aged driver has a bit of early success and promptly gets affixed with a “next big thing” label.
If it seems to be happening more often lately, it’s because it is indeed. Every driver that wheels a racecar before holding a diploma could be some team’s salvation, a franchise star that will collect trophies and sell merchandise for the next couple decades.
One can largely attribute the scouting of racing youth to Rick Hendrick, who brought a young Jeff Gordon into the Cup Series. The pairing of youth and success generates a significant buzz, but it isn’t the only way to move the needle. There have been plenty of notable Cup debuts, but a few seem to stand out above the rest.
Though Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not yet the most popular driver in NASCAR, his 1999 debut was one of the most anticipated ever. He had already pocketed a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship the previous year and was en route to another. Then it was revealed that he had signed a massive sponsorship deal with Budweiser and would make five starts before running Cup full time in 2000.
His first qualifying attempt for the 1999 Coca-Cola 600 saw him outperform many of his more experienced counterparts, including his legendary father. Dale Jr. ended up eighth on the grid, while the elder Earnhardt rolled off in 15th place. When the checkered flag waved, the roles had been reversed with Senior in sixth and his young protege in 16th.
The younger Earnhardt’s career encompassed nearly two decades before the health risks of racing led to his decision to retire. Still, he compiled two Daytona 500 wins, 26 Cup Series wins and enough Most Popular Driver awards to use them as doorstops.
Not long after that came the maiden Cup voyage of another new driver with a very established name: Adam Petty. Petty was, of course, the next in the family lineage after his great grandfather Lee, grandfather Richard and dad Kyle.
Success had been a bit harder to come by for Adam though. He had yet to finish an Xfinity race higher than fourth, and the Petty race teams as a whole were far removed from the dominance that got Richard crowned as the King.
It wasn’t Adam’s rapid accomplishments that had raised the hopes for his career. He represented a potential rebirth for the team and the family name. A looming return for Dodge would bring with it a reunion with Petty Enterprises and the chance to once again put a Petty on top of the NASCAR world.
Adam Petty qualified for his first Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway in April of 2000, starting 33rd. In a twist of fate, his father Kyle failed to qualify, denying the duo a chance to race against each other. Adam’s engine expired after 215 laps, sending him to the garage and a 40th-place result.
It was assumed that Adam Petty would get better from the experience, but he was robbed of that opportunity. A month later, he crashed during practice for the Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Petty was pronounced dead from a basilar skull fracture at just 19 years old.
However, speaking from personal experience, the most anticipated start in NASCAR Cup Series history was the debut of Danica Patrick. 2013 was her first full-time season, which included a memorable pole position and eighth-place finish in the Daytona 500.
But Patrick actually made her first 10 starts in 2012, beginning with that year’s opener at Daytona International Speedway. She qualified 29th but was in contention for less than one percent of the race. On the second lap, a melee broke out as the field thundered toward turn 1, damaging Patrick’s car among others. She wound up 38th, 64 laps down to race winner Matt Kenseth.
The massive amount of interest almost certainly stemmed from both her appeal as a crossover star and a trailblazer for women in a male-dominated sport. Suddenly, little girls wanted to watch NASCAR and become racecar drivers like Danica Patrick. It’s unlikely that any fellow Cup competitors would be able to sell posters of themselves in a bathing suit, and definitely none of the others went on to date a Super Bowl winning quarterback in Aaron Rodgers.
Patrick competed in the Cup Series through the 2017 season and hung up her helmet following the 2018 Daytona 500. She never finished better than sixth, but her impact on the visibility level of NASCAR goes far beyond anything on a stat sheet. Talk shows, tabloid sites and national news programs couldn’t get enough of Danica.
It’s been said that a rising tide raises all ships. Perhaps another driver is on the horizon who can do just that. That would certainly make them an appropriate choice to be referred to as the “next big thing.”
Frank Velat has been an avid follower of NASCAR and other motorsports for over 20 years. He brings a blend of passionate fan and objective author to his work. Frank offers unique perspectives that everyone can relate to, remembering the sport's past all the while embracing its future. Follow along with @FrankVelat on Twitter.
Remember, Joey Logano was the next big thing too, but he floundered at Joe Gibbs. It took a scenery-change to Penske before he flourished.
Yeah, a big part of that was that Logano & Greg Zipadelli just didn’t mesh at all. Not a knock on either, simply a fact. It happens.