Connor Zilisch’s NASCAR career will take a significant turn in 2025, when he will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet full-time for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series.
Zilisch, 18, is one of the sport’s best talents, and Kevin Harvick believes he has a bright career ahead of him. Harvick, speaking on his “Happy Hour” podcast this week, described Zilisch as a “great talent” who will soon be a “force to be reckoned with” in NASCAR.
“As we saw in the Truck race this week, it’s gonna get harder,” Harvick told the crowd. “But Connor is an exceptional talent. Now it’s time for the next level of competition, which always begins with, ‘Alright, I can drive quickly, but now how can I communicate with my team in order to let them understand what they need in the car to guide the car to be as fast as it can.’ So, with Trackhouse having Connor Zilisch, I believe they have struck gold. I believe they have a natural talent that cannot be taught. He has the inherent ability to go out there and drive.”
Connor Zilisch won races at an early age.
Zilisch, the reigning Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona champion, will compete in NASCAR events on a part-time basis in 2024. In six ARCA Menards Series East starts this season, Zilisch has four checkered flags. He made his Truck Series debut at COTA in March, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports. Zilisch finished fourth place, which was impressive. This past Saturday, he made his second Truck Series start in Richmond and finished 29th.
In addition to NASCAR, Zilisch has won on various other circuits. These include the CARS Tour, Carolina Pro Late Model Series, IMSA Sportscar Championship, and Mazda MX-5 Cup.
Harvick stated that he first encountered Zilisch while his son, Keelan, was racing go-karts and recognised there was something special about him.
“I actually watched Connor Zilisch race when Keelan first started racing go-karts. And I had a nice interaction with his father,” Harvick explained. “I asked, ‘Hey, what are your plans for Connor?'” And he said, ‘Well, I think I’m going to send Connor off to college, and I think we’ll go out and just have fun with the Spec Miata and get him through school.’ And I answered, ‘I believe that is a complete error. I believe you should allow him some time to try his hand at going down a path.
“We actually helped Connor schedule his first test with Silver Hair. And I actually put up the crash deposit so Connor could drive the automobile. His father paid for it, and I vouched for the crash deposit for Connor to drive the Trans-Am vehicle for Silver Hair Racing, where we have some mutual friends.
Connor Zilisch will eventually compete full-time in NASCAR.
“When we first called, they were like, ‘Ah, I don’t know about this. The kid appears to be rather young. And I’m like, ‘Look, I told Fred, who works for me, you have to tell Maurice [Hull] that this kid is really exceptional, and he needs to give him a go in this car.’ So we travelled to VIR, and William Byron had just tested the car the day before. Connor Zilisch ran one second faster than William Byron did on the first day he drove the automobile. Obviously, the rest is history, and he has been out there doing Connor Zilisch things and winning races.
“His father was unfamiliar with the racing side of the world. So, for Connor Zilisch, Brent Crews, and some of these youngsters who were racing carts, our goal was to sort of drive them down the NASCAR route. And they’ve done an excellent job of earning their spots by travelling in various cars. But Connor is going to be a stud. “He’ll be a force to be reckoned with in whatever he drives for a long time.”
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