Connor Zilisch

Connor Zilisch
Born	Connor Zilisch (2006-07-21) July 21, 2006 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Achievements	First American to ever win the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy 2020 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy Winner 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup Scholarship Winner
Awards	2022 Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
Car no., team	No. TBA (Trackhouse Racing)
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
Truck no., team	No. TBA (Trackhouse Racing)
ARCA Menards Series career
ARCA no., team	No. TBA (Trackhouse Racing)
First race	2023 General Tire 100 at The Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
Statistics current as of August 15, 2023.

Connor Zilisch (born July 22, 2006) is an American professional stock car racing driver and driver coach. He currently competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 28 Chevrolet SS for Pinnacle Racing Group, part-time in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour, driving the Nos. 57 and 98 Chevrolet Camaro's for Carroll Speedshop, part-time in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet SS for Rackley WAR, full-time in the SCCA Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli, in the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro for Silver Hare Racing, and part-time in the Mazda MX-5 Cup, in the No. 72 Mazda MX-5 for Hixon Motor Sports.

Racing career

Early career

Karting

Zilisch started competing in go-karts at the age of 5 in 2011. He would spend 10 years racing karts before moving up to cars in 2021. Zilisch karted primarily in the United States until 2017 when he won the Mini Rok World Championship in South Garda, Italy competing against more than 160 other competitors from 33 different countries. He returned to Europe to race primarily in the FIA OKJ class in 2018–2020 and made the "A" final in the OKJ World Championship in both 2019 and 2020. In 2020 he also became the first ever American to win the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, a three race series where competitors from all over the world all race on identical equipment.

Mazda MX-5 Global Cup and Trans-Am

Zilisch began racing cars in early 2021 with the Sports Car Club of America in the Spec Miata class and quickly began showing strong results, setting 3 track records and reaching the podium multiple times. At the SCCA Run-offs in Indianapolis that year, Zilisch finished 3rd out of ~ 90 cars in the competitive Spec Miata class and shortly thereafter was named the SCCA Jim Fitzgerald Rookie of the Year. Zilisch also competed in the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout competition, in late 2021, winning the $110,000 scholarship which would fund his participation in the series in 2022. In late 2021 Zilisch also ran his first Trans Am TA2 race at Virginia International Raceway earning pole position while shattering the track record as a rookie driver. He led the race early until a mechanical issue forced him to retire early, however, his performance in the race led to his being invited to race TA2 full-time for Silver Hare Racing in 2022.

In the Mazda MX-5 Cup series, Zilisch recorded 4 wins on the season and nearly won the championship in the last race of the season at Road Atlanta. In that race, Zilisch needed to finish at least 3 spots ahead of Jared Thomas to win the $250K championship prize and on track he did that, finishing 6th to Thomas' 9th place finish, however a post-race penalty to Alex Bachoura (who finished in between Zilisch and Thomas) ended up moving Thomas up one position and handing him the championship. Zilisch won $85K for second place and was also named the Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year for 2022.

Late Models

Pro Late Models

In June 2022 Zilisch would make his Pro Late Model debut in the No. 4 for Setzer Racing and Development at Orange County Speedway with the Carolina Pro Late Model Series where he would win the pole, and lead all the laps en route to his first career victory in an Asphalt Late Model overall and Pro Late Model.

For 2023 Zilisch would return to the No. 25 for Rackley WAR running select events in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour. He would win at Ace Speedway in his 2nd start of the season holding off Caden Kvapil to do so.

Late Model Stock Cars

In 2022 Zilisch began racing late model cars to prepare him for a potential path to NASCAR. He would start to run Late Model Stock Cars in the No. 57 for Carroll Speedshop. He would score 2 wins on the year both coming at Hickory Motor Speedway as well as 2 other podium positions.

For 2023 Zilisch would return to the No. 57 for Carroll Speedshop on a part-time basis in the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour. At Hickory Motor Speedway during the Throwback 276 in 2023 Zilisch would run a throwback to the No. 98 Dogecoin car driven in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014 by his current driver coach Josh Wise.

ARCA Menards Series

2023

On August 14, 2023, it was announced Zilisch would make his ARCA Menards Series debut in the No. 28 for Pinnacle Racing Group at that weekend's race at Watkins Glen. Zilisch qualified 2nd behind Corey LaJoie and then went on to dominate the race, leading 34 out of the races 42 laps, and barely lost the race after getting moved in the final corner of the final lap from the lead by Jesse Love going on to still finish 2nd doing all this despite an ill handling car all race with a broken front sway bar.

NASCAR

On January 11, 2024, Zilisch signed a multi-year contract with Trackhouse Racing as a developmental driver. His developmental program in 2024 and 2025 consists of races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as ARCA, CARS Tour, Trans-Am, and IMSA.

Personal life

Zilisch, when not driving himself, is a driver coach to younger drivers in the Karting ranks. He was announced as a client of KHI Management in 2021, but subsequently parted ways with the company in early 2023.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	NXSC	Pts	Ref
2024	TBA	TBA	Chevy	DAY	ATL	LVS	PHO	COA	RCH	MAR	TEX	TAL	DOV	DAR	CLT	PIR	SON	IOW	NHA	NSH	CSC	POC	IND	MCH	DAY	DAR	ATL	GLN	BRI	KAN	TAL	ROV	LVS	HOM	MAR	PHO

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	NCTC	Pts	Ref
2024	TBA	TBA	Chevy	DAY	ATL	LVS	BRI	COA	MAR	TEX	KAN	DAR	NWS	CLT	GTW	NSH	POC	IRP	RCH	MLW	BRI	KAN	TAL	HOM	MAR	PHO

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	AMSC	Pts	Ref
2023	Pinnacle Racing Group	28	Chevy	DAY	PHO	TAL	KAN	CLT	BLN	ELK	MOH	IOW	POC	MCH	IRP	GLN 2*	ISF	MLW	DSF	KAN	BRI	SLM	TOL	68th	44

CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	CLMSCTC	Pts	Ref
2022	Carroll Speedshop	28	Chevy	CRW	HCY	GPS	AAS	FCS	LGY	DOM	HCY	ACE	MMS	NWS	TCM	ACE	SBO Wth†	CRW		N/A	N/A
2023		57		SNM	FLC	HCY 8	ACE 12	NWS 36	LGY	DOM 9	CRW 16		ACE 11	TCM	WKS	AAS	SBO	TCM	CRW	-*	-*
		98										HCY 15
† – Entered but later withdrew from the race

CARS Pro Late Model Tour

(key)

CARS Pro Late Model Tour results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	CPLMTC	Pts	Ref
2023	Rackley WAR	25	Chevy	SNM	HCY 3	ACE 1	NWS 3	TCM	DIL	CRW 6	WKS	HCY 6	FLC	SBO	TCM	CRW	-*	-*

Carolina Pro Late Model Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

Carolina Pro Late Model Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	CPLMSC	Pts	Ref
2022	Setzer Racing and Development	4	Chevy	SNM	FCS	HCY	AAS	DIL	MMS	OCS 1**	CCS	HCY	HCY	AND	OCS	HCY	30th	N/A

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key)(Races in bold indicate pole position. Races in italics indicate fastest race lap in class. Results are overall/class)

Year	Team	Class	Make	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Rank	Points
2024	United Autosports USA	LMP2	Oreca 07	Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8	DAY	SEB	WGL	MOS	ELK	IMS	ATL

External links

• Official website
• Connor Zilisch driver statistics at Racing-Reference