NASCAR is renowned not by its teams but by the stature of its drivers, heavily leveraging the hype of racecar drivers for brand engagement. That is perhaps why industry insider Brett Griffin, spotting a nascent star in 18-year-old Connor Zilisch, recently advocated for NASCAR to ramp up its promotional efforts for him.
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The sport has been in a lull concerning the emergence of superstars since the era of Jimmie Johnson. The decline in standout driver prominence could be attributed to the heightened parity within the series and a potential shortfall in effective driver marketing.
Addressing this gap, Griffin took to social media to express his views on how NASCAR should strategically market Zilisch, suggesting a more dynamic approach to spotlight this promising young talent.
“NASCAR better figure out how to hero @ConnorZilisch. He could win in a school bus. Young. Fast. Everyone will be on the bandwagon, but they gotta figure out how to leverage it. He’s Tiger Woods,” said Griffin.
He also cited that the “Problem is no shoe deals, no ways to levitate his ability became sponsors paid for that. NASCAR has to invest. Maybe that new pool of money they crated will market him.”
While some enthusiasts endorsed Griffin’s view on Zilisch’s potential, exclaiming, “He is very impressive. Record book lookout,” and another opined, “Trackhouse is the best to brand him,” not everyone was convinced.
I just don’t see it. He is the AJ 2.0 of road courses and that’s it..
— Racing is life (@anythingracing1) March 2, 2025
A segment of the fanbase recalled numerous NASCAR luminaries who ascended from the Xfinity and Truck series — some even winning Tier 2 and Tier 3 championships — only to face challenges in the Cup Series.
Echoing this cautious optimism, one fan remarked, “There were a lot of Tiger Woods-like people until they got in a Cup car with a lot of other Tiger Woods-like drivers.”
Another spectator raised a different query, pondering, “Do you think Trackhouse will be able to keep him? Or will someone with deep pockets (Hendrick) take him away?”
Is there a chance Hendrick Motorsports could hire Connor Zilisch in the future?
Recently, a NASCAR aficionado wondered whether Zilisch’s development under Trackhouse Racing’s wing might trigger team reshuffling, potentially positioning him as a successor within the team or paving a path to Hendrick Motorsports to fill Alex Bowman’s boots.
However, the racing community quickly quashed any talk of Bowman’s departure, citing his performance last season. The consensus instead suggested that Daniel Suarez’s position at Trackhouse might hang in the balance if his performance this season does not stack up.
Statistically, Bowman holds the edge. While Suarez won a race last season, he only managed a P12-place finish overall. Bowman, meanwhile, bagged a win and finished the season in ninth place, narrowly missing a top-eight spot due to a disqualification.
Despite ongoing speculation about his future, Bowman’s contract with Hendrick Motorsports remains secure through to. Moreover, given that Zilisch has once again showcased his talent by winning Saturday’s Focused Health 250 at COTA, Trackhouse Racing would be wise to tightly secure such a flourishing talent within their ranks.
