CHARLOTTE, N.C.: A promising younger driver who would possibly simply be one in all NASCAR’s budding new stars will make his nationwide collection debut this Saturday within the Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas.
Connor Zilisch will then hop a personal jet and hustle his approach to Pensacola, Florida, to compete in a feeder collection race later that night time. It’s an odd doubleheader — the 17-12 months-previous Zilisch has but to ever drive in one in all NASCAR’s vehicles or the ARCA East Series.
He’s in all probability obtained Kevin Harvick — or possibly Harvick’s 11-12 months-previous son — guilty for the grueling schedule laid out for him this 12 months.
Born and raised in Charlotte and go-karting earlier than he began college, Zilisch by no means had any curiosity in NASCAR regardless of dwelling within the de facto homebase for America’s inventory automobile racing collection.
He favored karting, favored racing in Europe, and adopted that path. That’s how he turned karting teammates in 2021 with Keelan Harvick, who was solely 8 on the time. When Keelan’s father may make it to a race, 15-12 months-previous Zilisch acquired publicity and recommendation he as soon as may solely have dreamed of accessing.
“Kevin kind of suggested that I look into stock car racing, and he got me my first race in a stock car when I was 15, and I qualified on the pole and was leading the race until the engine broke,” Zilisch advised The Associated Press. “It was good enough to get me a ride for the season after in the Trans-Am Series and that started my stock car transition.
“It’s rare that a father there to see his own son race wants to help someone else, but he was keen to help me and wanted to make sure I got the opportunities that he felt I deserved. I wouldn’t be where I am without Kevin’s guidance and him giving me the chance to meet the right people. It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know, and Kevin knows everybody.”
Zilisch is now represented by Harvick’s administration agency and in January signed a multi-12 months improvement take care of Trackhouse Racing.
“This kid is an amazing talent who we wanted to be a part of the Trackhouse family,” Trackhouse staff proprietor Justin Marks stated. “We are going to go slow with Connor and make sure he’s fully prepared as he advances in what we believe will be a long racing career.”
He’ll run quite a lot of completely different collection this 12 months within the CARS Tour, ARCA, Trans-Am, IMSA, Trucks, and, when he turns 18 later this 12 months, is anticipated to enter 4 Xfinity Series races for JR Motorsports.
In all, Zilisch figures he has 37 race weekends scheduled for this 12 months spanning a number of collection.
His NASCAR debut comes with Spire Motorsports in a truck on the street course of the Austin, Texas observe, and Spire drivers have received three of the primary 4 Truck Series races this season.
But Zilisch goes to COTA on a profitable streak of his personal. Age eligible to compete in IMSA sports activities automobile racing, he made his debut in January because the endurance driver for Era Motorsports and picked up LMP2 class wins in each the Rolex 24 at Daytona and final weekend on the 12 Hours of Sebring.
He additionally completed second at Sebring in each Mazda MX-5 Cup races final weekend — dropping each on final-lap passes. His second defeat was by a scant .0004 seconds.
Zilisch’s credentials are reliable and now he will get to see what he can do in NASCAR, the place he’s not eligible till he turns 18 in July to compete in something increased than the Truck Series.
This first weekend is an enormous one for him — even after his two wins in his first-ever endurance races. Prior to Daytona and Sebring, Zilisch had by no means raced in an occasion that lasted longer than an hour.
All his preparation for his Truck Series debut has been in a simulator and his 20-minute apply session at COTA will probably be his first time on observe in a truck.
“I just want to run all the laps. The Truck Series is totally new to me, so I don’t want to set my expectations anywhere,” Zilisch stated. “I do want to succeed, but I’ve got to do what’s in my control and not make mistakes. Pit road is going to be new to me, so just minimizing mistakes, if I can do that, the speed will be there and I can get a good finish. It’s going to be tricky.”
And then it’s off to Pensacola, the place Zilisch will begin his pursuit of the ARCA East championship. Because he will probably be at COTA beginning Thursday, he’ll be leaping instantly within the automobile as soon as he arrives.
“I’m going to show up without practice or qualifying and just start the race,” he stated. “I’ve never been to Pensacola before … it’s definitely not going to be easy to show up without any experience at the place, but I feel confident in the team around me.”
His motto for what will probably be a whirlwind season driving in nearly each collection is easy: “I’ve just got to show up and learn quickly.”
Zilisch has to this point achieved that at each step of his younger profession.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
