Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love share a deep and unique dynamic. Often regarded as brothers, the two drivers are also rivals in NASCAR, and when there is direct competition, there is supposed to be heartbreak for one or another. This was something Zilisch faced last year as he lost the Xfinity title to Love.

In Thursday's episode of the "Bussin with the Boys" podcast, Love and Zilisch sat together to discuss the heartbreak and victory from the Phoenix finale last year, among other topics.

Love gave some backstory about the lead-up to the 2025 title decider, saying:

"So, here's the deal, right? We didn't think this through. We shared an Airbnb that week, not thinking like, not realizing that one of us is going home salty."

Connor Zilisch had a stellar 2025 season, winning 10 races en route to the finale. Unfortunately, it was Jesse Love, who triumphed in the playoffs, and a teary-eyed Zilisch had to go home with heartbreak.

"As a friend, I couldn't imagine what was going through Connor's mind right then," Love added. "I felt for him even though I was pumped up for myself, but yeah, we got back to the Airbnb the next day. I was like, 'Are you mad at me?' He was like, 'No'. And I was like, 'Do you want to talk about it?' He was like, 'Nope.'"

After the win, Love continued to race in the series, which was rebranded to the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, while Zilisch moved to the NASCAR Cup Series to race for Trackhouse Racing.

However, his rookie campaign as a full-time Cup driver turned out to be far from expected.

Connor Zilisch opens up about his NASCAR Cup Series struggle

When Connor Zilisch made his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series as a full-time driver, he was compared to Jeff Gordon, one of NASCAR's finest drivers. However, reality turned out to be far from it, as he himself acknowledged on Wednesday's episode of the "Dale Jr Download."

"It's a whole different ballgame," Zilisch told Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Everyone talks about it, right? All my friends who race in the Cup Series joked with me, 'You just wait, buddy.'"

Zilisch has chosen to embrace the learning curve rather than be dejected in the face of early adversity.

"As frustrating as it gets at times, it's a fun challenge for me, and I know that there's light at the end of the tunnel. I've just got to work to get there, and work to get there sooner than later," the 20-year-old further added.

Connor Zilisch is currently in 34th place in a field of 35 full-time drivers. He has 162 points to his name after 16 races, and only Cody Ware is behind him.

In 2027, Jesse Love will join him on the Cup grid. The 2025 Xfinity Series champion announced his signing with Wood Brothers Racing earlier this week.

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Written by

Sabyasachi Biswas

Edited by

Yash Kotak