Connor Zilisch
Connor Jackson Zilisch is an American professional racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro SS for JR Motorsports.
After an early career in karts, culminating in winning the Karting Academy Trophy in 2020, Zilisch began racing sports cars in 2021, adding stock cars to his program the next year. Zilisch broke onto the racing scene in 2024, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in the LMP2 class in his first attempts and winning in his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series start in September at Watkins Glen International, less than two months after his eighteenth birthday. In 2025, he competed full-time in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, scoring ten wins and a record-breaking eighteen consecutive top-five finishes. He won Rookie of the Year that year, and reached the championship race at Phoenix Raceway, finishing second in the championship.
Racing career
Early career
Karting
Zilisch started competing in go-karts at the age of five in 2011. He would spend ten years racing karts before moving up to cars in 2021. Zilisch started primarily in the United States until 2017, when he won the Mini Rok World Championship in South Garda, Italy, competing against more than 160 other competitors from 33 different countries. He returned to Europe to race primarily in the FIA OKJ class in 2018–2020 and made the "A" final in the OKJ World Championship in both 2019 and 2020. In 2020, he also became the first ever American to win the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, a three-race series where competitors from all over the world all race on identical equipment.Mazda MX-5 Global Cup and Trans-Am
Zilisch began racing cars in early 2021 with the Sports Car Club of America in the Spec Miata class and quickly began showing strong results, setting three track records and reaching the podium multiple times. At the SCCA Run-offs in Indianapolis that year, Zilisch finished third out of ~ ninety cars in the competitive Spec Miata class and shortly thereafter was named the SCCA Jim Fitzgerald Rookie of the Year. Zilisch also competed in the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout competition in late 2021, winning the $110,000 scholarship, which would fund his participation in the series in 2022. In late 2021, Zilisch also ran his first Trans Am TA2 race at Virginia International Raceway, earning pole position while shattering the track record as a rookie driver. He led the race early until a mechanical issue forced him to retire early; however, his performance in the race led to his being invited to race TA2 full-time for Silver Hare Racing in 2022.In the Mazda MX-5 Cup series, Zilisch recorded four wins in the season and nearly won the championship in the last race of the season at Road Atlanta. In that race, Zilisch needed to finish at least three spots ahead of Jared Thomas to win the $250K championship prize and on track he did that, finishing sixth to Thomas' ninth-place finish, however a post-race penalty to Alex Bachoura ended up moving Thomas up one position and handing him the championship. Zilisch won $85K for second place and was also named the Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year for 2022.
IMSA
On December 12, 2024, it was announced that Zilisch will drive a Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the GTD Pro class in the 2025 Rolex 24 At Daytona alongside Shane van Gisbergen, Ben Keating and Scott McLaughlin in a joint partnership between Trackhouse Racing and TF Sport.Late Models
Pro Late Models
In June 2022, Zilisch would make his Pro Late Model debut in the No. 4 for Setzer Racing and Development at Orange County Speedway with the Carolina Pro Late Model Series where he would win the pole, and led all the laps en route to his first career victory in an Asphalt Late Model overall and Pro Late Model.For 2023, Zilisch would return to the No. 25 for Rackley W.A.R. running select events in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour. He would win at Ace Speedway in his second start of the season, holding off Caden Kvapil to do so.
Late Model Stock Cars
In 2022, Zilisch began racing late-model cars to prepare himself for a potential path to NASCAR. He would start to run Late Model Stock Cars in the No. 57 for Carroll Speedshop. He would score two wins on the year, both coming at Hickory Motor Speedway as well as two other podium positions.For 2023, Zilisch would return to the No. 57 for Carroll Speedshop on a part-time basis in the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour. At Hickory Motor Speedway during the Throwback 276, Zilisch would run a throwback to the No. 98 Dogecoin car driven in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014 by his current driver coach Josh Wise.
ARCA Menards Series
2023
On August 14, 2023, it was announced Zilisch would make his ARCA Menards Series debut in the No. 28 for Pinnacle Racing Group at that weekend's race at Watkins Glen. Zilisch qualified second behind Corey LaJoie and then went on to dominate the race, leading 34 out of the race's 42 laps, and barely lost the race after getting moved in the final corner of the final lap from the lead by Jesse Love going on to still finish second despite an ill-handling car affected by a broken front sway bar.File:Connor zilisch.jpg|left|thumb|Zilisch and his crew celebrating after winning the General Tire 150 at Dover Motor Speedway.
2024
On March 18, 2024, it was announced that Zilisch would return to Pinnacle Racing Group to run a full season in the ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 28 car. In his first start at Five Flags Speedway, he missed practice and qualifying due to being at Circuit of the Americas for the NASCAR Truck Series race, and was replaced by Luke Fenhaus. Zilisch was able to make the race but struggled with mechanical issues throughout the event and finished fourth, two laps down. In his next race at Dover Motor Speedway, Zilisch took advantage of the leader's mishaps and led the final 42 laps of the event to earn his first career win in both the main and East Series. At the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Zilisch qualified fourth and ran in the top three throughout the event, but did not have the car to beat the eventual race winner William Sawalich, he finished third behind Isabella Robusto. He rebounded the following race at Flat Rock Speedway, where he would go on to obliterate the competition, winning the pole and leading every lap of the race to earn his second career win. He continued with a hot streak of victories, winning the next two East Series events at Iowa Speedway and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, both in dominating fashion. At Michigan, his first start on an intermediate racetrack, Zilisch passed Tanner Gray late in the event and held off a charging Andrés Pérez de Lara in the final laps to score another victory, continuing his winning streak of 4–4 in the ARCA Series.NASCAR
On January 11, 2024, Zilisch signed a multi-year contract with Trackhouse Racing as a developmental driver. His developmental program in 2024 and 2025 consists of races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as ARCA, CARS Tour, Trans-Am, and IMSA.Craftsman Truck Series
2024: Ups, and downs at COTA, poles, and strong showings
On March 15, 2024, it was announced that Zilisch would run a three-race schedule for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 7 truck, including a race at Homestead–Miami Speedway in a coordinated entry fielded by Spire. He made his debut at Circuit of the Americas, shocking the field after winning the pole in his first career start. On the first lap, Zilisch locked up his brakes and ultimately missed the first corner, losing the lead and falling to the back. He battled through many mid-race struggles, including penalties and spins. He would pass the most trucks throughout the entire race, and eventually made it back to the top five in the final stages. He was unable to catch the eventual winner Corey Heim and settled for a fourth-place finish in his series debut. Following his performance, Spire added three more races to Zilisch's schedule, which includes Richmond, Bristol, and Martinsville.2025: Part-time
On August 4, 2025, after it was announced that Kaden Honeycutt would be released from Niece Motorsports, it was announced that Zilisch would compete in the race at Watkins Glen for the team. Later on, Zilisch drove the No. 7 truck for Spire Motorsports at the Charlotte Roval.Xfinity Series
2024: Great showings, winning on debut
On March 12, 2024, it was announced that Zilisch would run a four-race slate with JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 88 car. Following his 18th birthday on July 22, Zilisch competed in the races at Watkins Glen, Kansas, Homestead–Miami, and the season finale at Phoenix. At Watkins Glen, Zilisch won the pole, led the most laps, and saved enough fuel in two overtime restarts for the win in his Xfinity Series debut, becoming the first driver in over three years to win in their Xfinity Series debut.2025: First full-time season, multiple injuries, and multiple victories
On August 7, 2024, it was announced on The Dale Jr. Download that Zilisch would drive the No. 88 car for JRM full-time in 2025. After a slow start to the season, including finishes outside the top 25 at Daytona and Atlanta, Zilisch won his first race of the year at Circuit of the Americas. At the spring Talladega race, Zilisch was spun from the lead by Jesse Love down the track where the car hit the inside wall head-on. Zilisch complained about his back but exited under his own power. The back injury he suffered forced him to sit out and be replaced by Kyle Larson at Texas, who won in double overtime. Zilisch returned with back-to-back second place finishes at Charlotte and Nashville. Following the Nashville race, crew chief Mardy Lindley was suspended for one race for two unsecured lug nuts. With Dale Earnhardt Jr. as his substitute crew chief, Zilisch scored his second win of the season at Pocono. With two-laps to go in Chicago, teammate Shane van Gisbergen would push Zilisch into the wall to win. The next week, Zilisch would beat van Gisbergen at Sonoma. The following week, he won at Dover, after the race was shortened by 66 laps. He also won the next weekend at Indianapolis, earning JRM their 100th-career victory in the series.Two weeks later, Zilisch won at Watkins Glen after a late red flag delayed the race. While exiting his car during the celebration in victory lane, Zilisch lost his footing on the driver's window sill after exiting and fell to the floor head-first. Safety members responded quickly, and he was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where doctors determined that while CT scans returned no sign of head injuries, he suffered a broken collarbone. Zilisch would race the next event at Daytona, which was conveniently after a week off, but the injury forced him to be replaced at the first caution. Parker Kligerman took over the car and won the race, with Zilisch receiving the credit as the driver who started the car. After recovering from the injury, Zilisch returned and won at Portland and the series' return to Gateway to secure the Regular Season Championship with nine wins on the season.
In the playoffs, Zilisch recorded his tenth and final race win of the year at the Charlotte Roval. Zilisch would advance to the Championship 4 after the fall Talladega race, where he finished 23rd, snapping his record-breaking streak of eighteen-straight top-five finishes in the series. Zilisch led late in the final race at Phoenix Raceway, but was passed for the race lead and the championship by Jesse Love, and subsequently by Aric Almirola for second place. Zilisch finished third place in the race and second in the championship.