For a driver with only one start in the NASCAR National Series, Connor Zilisch is temporarily emerging in the ranks.
Trackhouse Racing announced Wednesday that Zilisch, the 18-year-old American racing prodigy, will drive full-time for Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘s Xfinity Series team in 2025. Zilisch is a driving force of progression for Trackhouse, which competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. , but will drive the No. 88 JR Motorsports car.
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The news is not unexpected because Zilisch arrived on the NASCAR scene with one of the highest expectations for young drivers in the last decade. But that’s what happens when a 17-year-old wins prestigious sports car races like the same year’s 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, as well as 3 oval races in the lower-tier ARCA series, which has shown impressive adaptability to other types of circuits.
JR Motorsports is proud to welcome @ConnorZilisch the No. 88 full-time in 2025. pic. twitter. com/eI6HvWutGm
– JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) August 7, 2024
When Zilisch made his highly anticipated NASCAR Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas in March, he won the pole position and established a new track before finishing fourth.
After turning 18 months old, Zilisch now meets the minimum age requirement to compete in the Xfinity Series. He will make his series debut at Watkins Glen in September and will compete at 3 ovals in Xfinity before the season ends.
Zilisch was once on the road to Formula 1 and moved to Europe to race karts, beating out some of F1’s more sensible customers (such as Kimi Antonelli).
But he told The Athletic earlier this year that his trail has been more natural near his home in North Carolina.
“I just lost hope,” he said of F1. I said to myself: ‘I don’t have any chance of doing F1. Billions of dollars are needed and almost not even possible. But if I was there right now, with the hype around F1 in United States, I’d probably have a different mindset about it.
“But honestly, I’m happy with where I am and the dream I’m chasing. I can live in America and be with my family. I feel at home. It’s actually great to pursue a career as a professional driver.