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Randall Burnett leaving RCR, Kyle Busch to serve as Connor Zilisch crew chief in 2026

ProfilePhotoby: Nick Geddes09/23/25NickGeddesNews
Connor Zilisch
Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Trackhouse Racing announced Tuesday that Randall Burnett will serve as crew chief for Connor Zilisch in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Burnett is leaving his post as crew chief for the Richard Childress Racing No. 8 team and Kyle Busch, a position he’s held since 2023.

Burnett, who joined RCR in 2017, has previously worked with Busch, Tyler Reddick and A.J. Allmendinger. Trackhouse is entrusting him to call the shots in Zilisch’s debut season in Cup.

The Burnett-Busch partnership started out with a bang, as they won three of their first 15 races together. However, the No. 8 car has not been to Victory Lane since June 2023 at Gateway. Busch missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2012. He came up short again this season, currently sitting 22nd in the points standings.

Busch will have a new crew chief in 2026. Burnett will get a fresh start working with Zilisch. The 19-year-old Zilisch is competing to win the 2025 Xfinity Series championship. He has a series-high nine wins this season, and he sits atop the playoff standings, +85 above the cutline.

2026 Trackhouse lineup is complete with Connor Zilisch

The 2026 Trackhouse driver lineup will be Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen and Zilisch. Burnett brings some experience to a young team. Trackhouse has yet to announce a car number for Zilisch.

“Through every moment, the good and the bad, there were many times I questioned why I left school, I left my friends to make this commitment to go to the Cup Series and try to chase a dream of racing in motorsports. I never knew what was ahead of me,” Zilisch said last month. “There were times five years ago where I thought I was just going to go to college and live the life of a normal kid. Kevin Harvick asked my dad, ‘What’s your plan with this kid?’ My dad was like, ‘Well, he’s going to race for another year or two and then he’s going to go to college.’ Kevin told my dad, ‘You can’t do that.’ So, first of all, thank you to Kevin.

“There’s a lot of people that have been a part of this journey with me. I have way too many people to thank. … Today is a really, really special day for me. I never thought this day would come, and it certainly feels good.”