Connor Zilisch made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with a 27th-place finish at the United Rentals 300 in Daytona. Now, he is set to make his Cup Series debut next month under the label of Trackhouse Racing. Zilisch honed his passion for motorsports with karting and now he has set his sights on becoming one of the biggest NASCAR stars on the planet.
Karting Set Connor Zilisch On the Path of Greatness
Starting in karting like most American motorsport hopefuls, Zilisch’s path quickly veered off the typical route. He crossed the Atlantic and headed to Europe to compete against the finest youngsters from 33 countries.
The North Carolinian won the Mini Rok World Championship in Italy in 2017. He was only 11 years old when he achieved the feat and became the first American to win the tournament.
For most drivers, training in Europe signals a future in open-wheel racing. Zilisch’s parents had expected him to follow a more conventional path and attend college, but a season—and a global pandemic—left him at a crossroads. An unexpected meeting with Cup champion Kevin Harvick steered him toward NASCAR’s path instead.
“In 2020-2021, when NASCAR had no practice, no qualifying and they’d show up to the race on Sundays, I was teammates with Keelan Harvick on a go-kart team,” Zilisch said. “It was the early stages of Keelan’s racing career. He was still figuring stuff out, and I was more of a proven go-kart driver, so I was coaching Keelan and helping him as a teammate.
“I met Kevin through that. Kevin saw something in me and wanted to help me to at least have a shot at making it in racing. So he got me a test with the Trans Am TA2 team.”
Zilisch Showing Early Promise
Zilisch rewrote speed records and earned several podium finishes to ace the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) competition. He earned Rookie of the Year in the Spec Miata Class and secured a 2022 season scholarship by winning the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout.
The #MX5Cup Round 12 podium: Connor Zilisch, Gresham Wagner and Sam Paley. pic.twitter.com/80ARBjAlhh
— Mazda MX-5 Cup (@MazdaMX5Cup) August 28, 2022
In a stunning debut, Zilisch grabbed pole position at Virginia International Raceway in his first Trans Am TA2 race. This earned him a full-time seat with Silver Hare Racing. The following year, he dominated the MX-5 Cup with four wins, a runner-up championship finish, and the Rookie of the Year title.
Zilisch’s outstanding Trans Am debut caught the eye of Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks. Marks had been long aware of Zilisch’s talent because of his early karting success. Seeing the young driver’s immense potential, Marks brought him to Trackhouse Racing.
Why Is Zilisch Special?
The “generational talent” label is often used in exaggeration in sports, but Zilisch seems genuinely worthy of the title. Following in the footsteps of Kyle Larson, he’s demonstrating an extraordinary ability to achieve instant results, validating Marks’s belief in his potential.
His 2024 campaign is a testament to his incredible talent, with victories spanning the Rolex 24, 12 Hours of Sebring, ARCA, CARS tour, and the Xfinity series.
If his early success is any indication, it won’t be long before Zilisch becomes the center of the NASCAR world.
