Connor Zilisch has started his weekend spectacularly, snatching the pole position for the Xfinity COTA race. He’ll also be behind the wheel of the #87 Red Bull Chevrolet Camaro for Trackhouse Racing in the Cup race, marking his third NASCAR series debut within a year. The 18-year-old is banking on his teammate Shane van Gisbergen, a winner on Cup debut, to guide him through the nuances of his first race in the top tier.
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Having won his Xfinity Series debut race at Watkins Glen International last year with JR Motorsports, the spotlight is on Zilisch again. He is striving to achieve what would be a remarkable record — a victory on debut in both the series.
SVG, who won his first Cup outing in the Chicago Street race in 2023, has been mentoring Zilisch through this phase. In a pre-race interview at COTA, Zilisch shared some insights about his relationship with his Trackhouse Racing teammate.
“I didn’t know him six months ago — well, six to 12 months ago. I didn’t even know who he was, and I feel like now we’re pretty good friends,” said Zilisch.
“It’s really cool to have those guys that, you know, give me and show me respect. You know, I appreciate it a lot, and he’s a guy that I’ve definitely leaned on and hung out with and been able to get a friend out of it,” added the 18-year-old.
While he is keen to ensure a rousing weekend in the Cup race, Zilisch must also maintain focus on his first full-time stint in the Xfinity Series. He had an impressive part-time performance last year, where he consistently finished in the top 10 in all but one of his four races.
With back-to-back DNFs in the Xfinity races at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, the 2025 season has begun in a less than ideal manner for him. Zilisch would be keen to change his fortunes in the lower-tier race at COTA, while making a big splash in the Cup Series as well.
Zilisch’s realistic expectations of his debut Cup race at COTA
During a recent conversation on Jeff Gluck’s 12 Questions segment, Zilisch fielded a query from Chase Briscoe about his potential to outstrip the Cup field in his debut race. He was also asked about his general expectations competing at the Cup level.
Zilisch responded with a grounded answer, “Do I think I can wear out the field? No!”
He stated that his goal is to be competitive “and run inside the top 10. But wearing out the field is a whole different thing in the Cup Series.”
Reflecting on the advice he’s received, Zilisch added that his friends, by warning him that Cup racing is a whole different beast, have helped him keep his goals realistic.
Cup Series is indeed a big step up for the lower tier drivers. For instance, Noah Gragson, who has had 13 wins in his Xfinity career so far, has struggled to achieve top-10 placements in the Cup.
That said, Zilisch’s abilities on road courses — from his victory at Watkins Glen in his Xfinity debut to his impressive fourth-place finish at COTA in the Truck Series — fuel his enthusiasm for the upcoming race at COTA.
He’s eager to showcase his skills against the seasoned field, setting himself for bigger things in stock car racing.
