Zilisch Set for COTA Cup Debut; Sights on Youngest Cup Winner Record
What were you doing at the age of 18? Chances are you weren't preparing for a debut in the NASCAR Cup Series. That's where Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing's young racing phenom, finds himself heading into this weekend's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. The North Carolina native, who will pilot the No. 87 Red Bull-sponsored Chevrolet, is making perhaps one of the most anticipated NASCAR Cup Series debuts in recent memory.
The reason for the anticipation of Zilisch's maiden Cup Series start is simple. The quick-study has found victory lane very quickly, including capturing the win in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut a season ago at Watkins Glen International. There is a general consensus that while it feels unreal to think an 18-year-old can come in and win on debut in the top form of motorsports in the United States, that it is extremely possible this weekend.
In a media availability Tuesday at the NASCAR Production Facility in Concord, NC, Zilisch gave even more reason for onlookers to feel bullish about his chances at victory on Sunday at COTA.
“Honestly, I feel like the cup car is more like what I'm used to," Zilisch explained when asked about his comfortability with the Next Gen car and its sequential shifter. "You know, racing, sports cars, I've run a sequential gearbox in a TA car, and MX5 Cup car. You know, I think the build of the car is a lot more like I'm used to. It's a stiffer platform, it's an independent rear suspension. Everything is more like [what] I'm used to racing sports cars."
Zilisch continued, "Honestly, I feel more comfortable going into this weekend than I did when I was going into my Xfinity debut and Truck debut where it was kind of a completely different race car. I'm excited to see what it feels like. Obviously, I've done a lot of sim[ulator] work, but you never really know what you're going to have until you show up to the race track and go out for practice. But thankfully we have extended practice this weekend.”
Can you imagine being more confident heading into your NASCAR Cup Series debut than you were going into your first race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series? But the comfortability with the specifications of the Next Gen car used in the NASCAR Cup Series completely validates Zilisch's confidence.
Another thing the young racer has going for him is that NASCAR will utilize a new shorter track layout at Circuit of the Americas, known as the "National" course layout, this season. The re-racking of the track layout has placed Zilisch in a unique position as a driver making their series debut as he now has the same level of experience around the track layout that will be used this weekend.
"Honestly, I feel really comfortable going to COTA. It's a great track for me and especially with a new layout it changes a little bit for everybody," Zilisch said. "I feel like it's at least a little bit more of an even playing field, even if it's just a little bit.”
Zilisch will also have the advantage of being one of the four drivers, who will also contest the NASCAR Xfinity Series event on Saturday around the COTA National Course Layout.
Ever since the established road racer started working his way into the NASCAR development ladder, he has stated that he has his eye on potentially breaking Joey Logano's record for being the youngest NASCAR Cup Series winner in history. Logano was 19 years, 1 month, and 4 days old when he reached victory lane in the 2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The desire to break that record helped Zilisch, who will be 18 years, 7 months, and 8 days old on Sunday, to steer Trackhouse Racing into allowing him to make his Cup Series debut in the third race of the season rather than in the back half of the year.
“Yeah, for me, [Trackhouse] wanted to do it later in the season, but honestly, I wanted to get into it as early as possible," Zilisch stated. "And I kind of told them, ‘Hey, can I do a race track that I've already been to in a NASCAR-sanctioned event.' I think it's good for me to get the experience in the Xfinity car the day before and be able to race on Sunday and already have a race under my belt that weekend. Also, I want to try and become the youngest cup series winner. To do that, I have to race as soon as possible and get it in before I turn 19. I wanted to at least give myself a shot at that. That was definitely part of my thinking and honestly, I don't feel like there's anything that tells me that I'm not ready to race on a road course on Sunday."
While he has the youngest winner record in the back of his mind, Zilisch knows it's likely a pipe dream to imagine he can outduel some of the best drivers, currently, in the world on Sunday. So, he's tempering his expectations.
“I think I go into this this weekend with the same mindset I did the Xfinity debut, right? I have no expectations," Zilisch stated. "I don't expect to go win and I just kind of go in expecting to learn and pick up as much as I can from the weekend."
However, Zilisch will be mentally prepared if he does find himself in a position near the front in Sunday's race.
"But you know, there's always a chance your car is really good and you get up to speed fast and you got the opportunity to win the race," Zilisch said. "I don't think we would do this race if we didn't think there was a chance I could compete at the front. I think that's kind of my goal going in. If we're, you know, not a top 10 car, go and learn as much as we can, but at the end of the day, if we have a really fast car and I've gotten up to speed fast, then we can, you know, go out and race. And hopefully compete for at least a top five, or top 10, and have a solid day. There's always a chance you can go out – I never expected to win in my Xfinity debut, that kind of showed me that anything could happen. If I prepare well enough, I think I have a chance to run up front on Sunday too.”
The rookie racer, who has the composure of a veteran with 20 years of experience in his media availabilities, credits Josh Wise as his biggest mentor on his path to his NASCAR Cup Series debut. Wise, who owns and operates Wise Optimization, has been a shoulder that the young racer has had a chance to lean on throughout his young racing career.
“Whether it’s relationships off the track or, you know, how to go through a corner, I feel like I can lean on him for anything and you won't judge me," Zilisch admitted. "And it's really important to have someone like that. When you’re 18 and have a lot of questions and just have the world ahead of you. I feel like it's just you need someone that you can go to for any advice and ask them and get an honest and non-biased answer every time.”
With Wise, Trackhouse Racing, and many others in his corner, Zilisch is just trying to take an easy approach to the weekend.
“I definitely try not to overthink it. That’s an easy mistake to make," Zilisch explained. "And you know, I think that's one thing that a lot of guys do is they overthink it and overanalyze."
Zilisch knows if he does make a mistake in his debut on Sunday that he has a long runway ahead of him in his driving career, so, he isn't going into the race ultra-stressed about being mistake-free. However, he is focused on learning from any and all mistakes he makes this weekend.
“I'm excited to make the most of it and try and not make mistakes. And at least if I do make a mistake, only make it once," Zilisch noted. "And that's kind of something that I've tried to do to this point now and you know, hopefully, I'm not making mistakes that I've made before already. No pressure on me, really. It’s just kind of go out and learn as much as I can, run all the laps. And I think if I do that, I'll have a good weekend.”
If Zilisch has a good weekend, it could make for a bad Sunday for the rest of the competition as the young racer has the road racing chops to potentially contend for the win in his NASCAR Cup Series debut.
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Toby Christie is the Editor-in-Chief of Racing America. He has 15 years of experience as a motorsports journalist and has been with Racing America since 2023.