Connor Zilisch is quickly making a name for himself as one of the brightest talents in motorsports. At just 18, he’s already achieved remarkable things, but what if he hadn’t had the right opportunities to showcase his skills?

Every aspiring racer has a unique spark, but it takes someone with a keen eye to spot that potential and provide the support needed to ignite it. For Connor, that key support came from Kevin Harvick. Thanks to Harvick’s belief in him, Connor has had the chance to prove he’s not just a promising young driver, but a true force to be reckoned with in the sport.

How did Connor Zilisch begin his racing career?

Most professional racers have their foundation built in kart racing. Go-karting is the safer and more cost-efficient way of enabling kids to contrive their love for motorsport. But it wasn’t the same for Connor Zilisch, as the agenda was never to be a professional racer from the head start. He was handed over his oldest brother’s Spec Miata by his dad when he came of age. His dad even told him, “Oh, we’ll put you in this and you know, let’s see you have a crack at a race car.”

Connor also went go-karting with Keelan Harvick. Since it was the COVID-19 year of 2021, Kevin Harvick used to practice at the go-kart tracks along with his son as well. This allowed Connor to spend ample time with Kevin and leave an impression on him.

Next thing? The Cup champion spoke with Connor’s dad about the boy’s future and ended up persuading him for an experiment.

Reflecting back on how it all started, as Connor Zilisch sat down for the 566th episode of the Dale Jr. Download, he told Junior, “Kevin saw something in me and he went up to my dad one day and said, ‘You know, what’s your plan with Connor?’ and my dad says, ‘Well, you know, we’re gonna go race some go-karts and some SECA and when it’s time to go to college, he’ll leave for college.’ And Kevin’s like, ‘No. That’s, we’re gonna try something here.’ While Zilisch’s dad thought of racing as a pre-college gig, Harvick exactly knew how Connor could do in the sport.

So, Connor went on to track test in a stock car for the first time at Virginia International Raceway and concluded his first session faster than the NASCAR Cup Series driver testing alongside him. He further described his feelings on the DJD, “Man, this can’t be real, really like, can it?”

The boy raced in his first TA2 at the year’s end on VIR. He recalled, “First time I’m in the car I put the results in, I was leading the race until a plug failed and I had to quit. But after that I got the opportunity to race Trans Am full-time the year after with Silver Hare Racing.”

Additionally, Silver Hare Racing’s Maurice and Laura Hull have also been the building blocks for Connor Zilisch ever since. They have chosen to sponsor him across the series and have provided him with the appropriate platform to help him grow. “And that’s kinda when things shifted for me and that’s kinda when I met Josh Wise and Chevrolet and everyone there. So, that’s kind of where it all shifted and that’s how I got my first my opportunity to go stock car racing. And then, you know, in 2022 I made my first Late model start and in a Pro-Late model at Wunsch County and I won my first race in a Late model.”, sounding grateful, added Connor Zilisch.

But where is he heading now?

The 18-year-old is all geared to conquer multiple racing disciplines

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When Kevin Harvick recently asked Brad Keselowski, which rookie driver would he pick for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, Brad answered unhesitantly, “I think the best young talent in the garage that could drive a Cup car is Connor Zilisch.” This is a big statement coming from Brad, hinting at the bright future that Connor Zilisch has.

Update on his current endeavors? Connor has signed up for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, and zMax CARS tour in the year 2024. The lad also has a four-race contract with JR Motorsports, along with a multi-year development contract with Trackhouse Racing.

The record-breaking consistency is propelling Connor Zilisch to unsurmountable heights. He began 2024 with a victory lane debut at Daytona International Speedway, co-driving the Le Mans Prototype 2, becoming the second-youngest driver to unlock such endurance. There are innumerable road course races that Connor has undertaken, and won, and many more are yet to come.

Connor Zilisch is a juggernaut in the making, who has his eyes set on the bigger picture. He is definitely the poster kid of NASCAR’s latest ideology of assimilating young talent into the sport.