Connor Zilisch has proven he’s no ordinary rookie in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. After a stunning debut win at Watkins Glen, JR Motorsports offered him a full-time ride in the No. 88 Chevy. But before moving up, Zilisch has unfinished business in ARCA.

With the ARCA race at Bristol approaching, Zilisch is in a strong position after setting the fastest qualifying time. Having won 4 races already, he’s on the verge of the championship. However, his title hopes hinge on Joe Gibbs Racing’s William Sawalich, making this showdown even more intense.

Sawalich and Zilisch going neck-to-neck

William Sawalich drives the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in the ARCA Menards Series East. With only Dover being the track where he came 17th, while others were all top 3 finishes, he is doing quite well. However, Bob Pockrass has brought it to everyone’s attention that Sawalich’s finish plays a huge role in Zilisch’s title.

Pockrass took to X to share, “Connor Zilisch (left) clinches the ARCA East title with an 11th-place finish or better, and that’s if William Sawalich (right) wins and scores max points tonight at Bristol in the ARCA race (combined national and east event) at 5 p.m. ET on FS1.”

This means that for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s prodigy to win the title, he needs to step up. Currently, while Zilisch enjoys No. 1 on the standings (366 points), Sawalich is right behind, with 350 points. Speaking of laps led, both are separated by a mere 40 laps with the former again, leading the board.

Now, while Zilisch already has a full-time seat in the Xfinity Series, Sawalich has only done Truck Series races in NASCAR.

At Watkins Glen, Connor Zilisch managed to win two races, one in ARCA and one in the Xfinity Series. This has made him a crowd favorite and also given the team hope that he has a good shot at the title. Winning the title in ARCA will not only help boost his NASCAR career significantly but will also help him ladder up to Tier 1.

For now, a full-time seat in JR Motorsports is what he will have to settle for. Here’s what Connor Zilisch had to say about getting a full-time seat in the No. 88 Chevy for next year.

Dale Jr.’s take on Connor Zilisch joining his team for 2025

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Dale Jr. was impressed by Connor Zilisch’s performance at Watkins Glen. So much so that he decided to call his step-in driver to congratulate him amidst his post-race conference. Knowing how important that phone call was, Zilisch did not waste time picking up the call in front of everyone.

This way, everyone at the conference got to see how happy Dale Jr. was with the 18-year-old driver’s performance. After the dust settled, Zilisch made his way to the Dale Jr. Download podcast, and that’s where he shared what the seat in JR Motorsports means to him.

It is a big deal to get the seat, and Zilisch knows that. He went on to say, “This is the lifetime opportunity for me to come race at JRM. So many guys in the Cup Series have gone through this building. It’s going to be an honor to drive for Dale and everybody at JR Motorsports.”

With his sights on his main goal of being a Cup Series driver, Zilisch will have to consistently prove himself if he wants to move up the NASCAR ladder. Considering this, when do you think we will get to see Connor Zilisch race in the Cup Series? Share your thoughts below.