Connor Zilisch and his highly anticipated stint in the NASCAR Cup Series at the age of 18 follows his victorious debut in the Xfinity Series and a meritorious fourth-place finish at COTA in the Truck Series.
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As the young prodigy gearing up for his debut this weekend with Trackhouse Racing in the sport’s top tier, he is seeking wisdom from Shane van Gisbergen, a debut Cup victor himself. While Zilisch was reaching out to forge a bond with his mentor, SVG injected a touch of humor into their burgeoning friendship.
During the pre-race discussions at COTA, when questioned about Zilisch’s somewhat skittish attempts at friendship, given the age difference between them, SVG remarked with a chuckle, “We get along really well.”
“Like at the start of the year, we spent almost every day together with production days and WeatherTech stuff, and it was really cool. He’s a great young kid, and we do get along, but I think I’m pretty much twice his age,” the inaugural Chicago City Street Race winner admitted awkwardly.
SVG playfully remarked that during the Daytona ’24, Zilisch had also taken on the role of an enthusiastic coffee runner for their team, counting a soft touch to their collaboration.
Currently, while SVG offers his expertise on navigating road course venues and perhaps the intricacies of the Next Gen cars, Zilisch’s proficiency on road courses suggests that the young driver may not face big challenges with the track layout and might even be able to challenge the former Australian V8 Supercars driver.
The primary area where Zilisch might benefit from further guidance is in mastering the nuances of the Next Gen cars, a transition still ongoing for many seasoned drivers.
Connor Zilisch on his and SVG’s relationship dynamics
In a pre-race discussion, Zilisch shared some enlightening reflections about his Trackhouse Racing teammate, Shane van Gisbergen. A year ago, Zilisch confessed, he was entirely unaware of the seasoned Kiwi driver. But now, after spending quality time together, he regards SVG as not just a teammate but a close friend.
As Zilisch is getting ready for a thrilling weekend in the Cup series, he has once again demonstrated his mettle in the Xfinity Series. Just this Saturday, he won the Focused Health 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Circuit of the Americas.
Overcoming challenges, including a line violation that relegated him to the back, hard contact with Corey Heim that compromised his car’s right front fender, and persistent pressure from his teammate Carson Kvapil, Zilisch led for 26 laps to secure his win.
