More Crossovers Between NASCAR and F1? What Connor Zilisch and Jenson Button Said at the Rolex 24

Nov 1, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch (88) during the Xfinity Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR prodigy Connor Zilisch and former F1 champion Jensen Button are both currently at the Daytona International Speedway, performing different duties at the Rolex 24. Zilisch is there as a debut driver, and Button is there as a part of the broadcast. Where they overlap is in their interest to be a part of each other’s greater niche.

Zilisch is awaiting his maiden full-time Cup Series season with Trackhouse Racing after a stellar 2025 season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He is one of the most promising drivers to come up the ranks in recent times, and great things are expected out of him after his standout season last year. Should he live up to the hype, he would be interested in transitioning to Formula 1 someday.

He told veteran commentator Leigh Diffey, when asked about the possibility of driving for Cadillac in Formula 1,  “If I have a very successful first few years in NASCAR it’s not something I wouldn’t say no to. I love F1 but I love what I’m doing in NASCAR.” Racing in Formula 1 has been an interest of his for a long time.

He also admitted this on the Stacking Pennies podcast last year, as well, and pointed out that Cadillac’s entry into the sport and his connections with Redbull mean that his chances to go over there aren’t zero. But his primary and current area of focus remains stock car racing. He will have to hit above his mark here to have a good future in open-wheel racing.

Button, the 2009 Formula 1 champion, on the other hand, has already raced in the NASCAR Cup Series. He drove for Rick Ware Racing in 2023 and secured a best result of 18th place at the Circuit of the Americas. What he is interested in now is taking on the newly introduced San Diego Street Course.

He said during the Rolex 24 broadcast, “Does anyone that’s got a truck that wants me to drive it? If it’s got a wheel and a gearstick, I’m there.” His proposal will surely catch the eye of many teams in the sport. The driver made his final F1 appearance in 2016. Since then, he has been involved heavily in endurance racing.

Post Edited By: Rahul Ahluwalia
Connor Zilisch Jensen Button NASCAR Cup Series

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Gowtham Ramalingam

Gowtham is a NASCAR journalist at The SportsRush. Though his affinity for racing stems from Formula 1, he found himself drawn to NASCAR's unparalleled excitement over the years. As a result he has shared his insights and observations by authoring over 3000 articles on the sport. An avid fiction writer, you can find him lost in imaginary worlds when he is not immersed in racing. He hopes to continue savoring the thrill of every lap and race together with his readers for as long as he can.

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