Connor Zilisch's debut in the 2024 NASCAR season has been nothing short of remarkable.
With outstanding performances in both the NASCAR Truck Series and Xfinity Series, the 18-year-old driver is swiftly carving a niche for himself. One of his most significant achievements came at Watkins Glen, where he clinched a victory in his very first Xfinity Series race. In this triumph, Zilisch drove to victory from pole position, immediately capturing the attention of industry veterans and fans.
Denny Hamlin, one of NASCAR's seasoned drivers with Joe Gibbs Racing and co-owner of 23XI Racing, recently delivered an insightful analysis on Zilisch's potential trajectory in the sport. Hamlin commented on his Actions Detrimental podcast (below):
"I'd say it's probably a sure-fire thing, just because he's got enough experience on ovals. He still did quite a bit of oval racing as well, and certainly, if you look at the results in the competitive series that he's run, he's still, you know — he's not as fast over the field when we go to ovals, but he's still competitive, competing against veterans that have been doing it quite some time."
As Zilisch prepares to drive the No. 88 Chevy for JR Motorsports full-time in the 2025 season, expectations continue to climb. JRM, a renowned team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., has fostered numerous talents, offering Zilisch a platform to hone his skills further. Hamlin predicts a promising year ahead, suggesting:
"So, will he go win 12 races next year in Xfinity? No, I don't think so. But I mean, could he win four or five? Yeah, absolutely. I think that's a very feasible goal considering, you know, the car he's in and what he's going to be capable of."
A particularly intriguing aspect of the discussion about Zilisch is his comparison to Shane van Gisbergen. According to Hamlin:
"I think Connor's got a leg up on (SVG), if you had to ask me to pick one of the two. Connor, just because I think he's more well-versed in the ovals than what SVG is. But I think when you look at what their capability is on road courses, I consider them equals right now. This is just my opinion right now."
Hamlin anticipates Zilisch will become a championship contender once he transitions to the Cup series in the future, but it remains to be seen how quickly the young driver can adapt to the top-tier stock car racing environment. His rapid ascension from winning in the ARCA West Series at Phoenix Raceway to shining in NASCAR denotes a driver with remarkable potential and growth.
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