Connor Zilisch, a name rapidly gaining recognition in the motorsports world, is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this weekend. The full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver claimed his second victory at COTA on Saturday, March 1.
Connor Zilisch Reflects on COTA Xfinity Win
Fresh off his sensational victory from pole position at the Focused Health 250, Xfinity race at COTA, the 18-year-old will soon take the wheel of the Red Bull liveried No. 87 Chevrolet for Team Trackhouse Racing. Zilisch took his excitement online and shared on X:
“Making a dream come true today. No matter the result, I’m so grateful for @redbull and @TeamTrackhouse. Let’s make some history.”
Making a dream come true today. No matter the result, I’m so grateful for @redbull and @TeamTrackhouse. Let’s make some history👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/HUbJjEyQX0
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) March 2, 2025
Zilisch’s meteoric rise in NASCAR seems ominous. He claimed his first Xfinity Series victory at Watkins Glen last year and immediately made waves in the Truck Series, setting a qualifying record on debut at COTA.
He joined Trackhouse Racing, co-owned by Justin Marks, for the Rolex 24 at Daytona this January. He starts the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix from 14th position alongside established Trackhouse teammates: Ross Chastain (No. 1), Daniel Suárez (No. 99), and Shane van Gisbergen (No. 88).
Zilisch’s second NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Circuit of the Americas was anything but easy. Despite leading 26 laps, a mid-race penalty sent him to the back of the pack. He fought his way through the field, ultimately beating William Byron by 1.639 seconds. Reflecting on the challenging race, Zilisch remarked:
“That was tough. That was way harder than I wanted it to be. I did not drive a clean race at all. Sorry to everyone that I hit. I was just kind of mentally fogged halfway through that race. Glad we were able to fight back,” Zilisch said (via motorsport.com).
Zilisch’s aggressive racing style was on full display, leading to a series of intense battles. A pit road caution threw a wrench into his strategy, but he quickly recovered, engaging in heated clashes with teammate Carson Kvapil and Corey Heim. Despite the contact, Zilisch pressed on, ultimately overtaking Kvapil for the lead with eight laps remaining.
“I’ve already texted three people that I feel like I did wrong. That penalty hindered us and got my head spinning a little bit and put us in a bit of a bad spot, but to come back from that was really good. I just have to stay calmer from now on,” Zilisch said.
The NASCAR Cup Series’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 2. 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick will start the race from the pole with teammate Bubba Wallace.