Let’s talk about the upcoming sensation on the tracks, Connor Zilisch. So far, the young racecar driver has competed in TransAM and enjoys spending time racing in ARCA, but now he is ready to take the next step. Back in March, Dale Jr. noticed Zilisch’s talent and gave him a spot in his No. 88 Chevrolet. While Zilisch was only 17 years old when the deal was made, now that he has crossed his 18th birthday on July 21, he can now officially compete in the NASCAR series.
Starting his journey this year in the Xfinity Series, Zilisch is taking his time to prepare himself before trying to battle it out in the Cup Series. Recently, when he came down to Dirty Mo Media’s Door Bumper Clear podcast, Freddie Kraft asked him about the path he would pick. The options are to spend time in the Xfinity series to gain experience or try to get into the Cup series as soon as possible. Thats when Zilisch revealed all the areas he has been working on before heading into NASCAR.
Connor Zilisch focuses on gaining experience
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On Dirty Mo Media’s Door Bumper Clear podcast, Connor Zilisch shared his thoughts on his racing career path. Freddie Kraft asked him whether he’d prefer to jump straight into top-level racing or experience a bit of everything. Zilisch responded with, “I think this year I wanted to run as diverse a schedule as I could, just because I wanted to experience as much as I could and because I wanted to learn as much as I could.”
Zilisch is not in a rush to prove himself thanks to his long-term deal with Trackhouse Racing Team. Instead, he’s focusing on using ARCA to build up his skills and get comfortable. He mentioned, “I know I have a longer-term contract with Trackhouse, so I feel pretty secure about that.” But he’s also looking forward to racing in the Truck and Xfinity series, where he can really push himself.
For Zilisch, it’s more about the learning process than immediate wins. He explained what he wanted to do in his career, saying, “I wanted to go to tracks where I could challenge myself. Hopefully, next year, if I go full-time racing, I’ll have at least a bit of experience under my belt before I show up.”
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With his mind set on gaining more experience behind the wheel before making it to the upper tiers of NASCAR, he is on a calculated path in his career. Zilisch already has a long-term contract with Trackhouse Racing and has already signed for 4 races with JR Motorsports. Where he stands today is a great position for him to be as a driver, and with JR Motorsports giving him a car to drive this year, he will gain the needed experience on the track.
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When will Connor Zilisch race for JR Motorsports?
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Connor Zilisch is set to carve his name on the Xfinity Series canvas, driving for JR Motorsports in several key races this season. He’ll be hitting the track at Watkins Glen on September 14, bringing his skills to one of the most challenging road courses on the calendar. After that, he’ll head to Kansas on September 28, followed by a run at Homestead-Miami on October 26, where he’ll face off in a crucial late-season race.
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To wrap up his stint with Dale Jr.’s team, Zilisch will compete in Phoenix on November 9, and hopefully that will bag him a seat on the team for next year. Although Zilisch is in the early stages of his career, this is the best time for him to gain experience and build a name for himself. So far, he has shown promise in other forms of racing, but does that mean he will do well at NASCAR?
Do you think with the upcoming 4 races, Connor Zilisch will be able to get a full-time contract in the Xfinity Series?
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Carson Hocevar prefers grassroots over big leagues—Is he making the right call for his career?