On Wednesday, April 3, 2025, Trackhouse Racing announced that NASCAR prodigy Connor Zilisch will get behind the wheel of the #87 Red Bull Chevy for the second time. Zilisch will drive the Red Bull-sponsored car at the crown jewel event, the Coca-Cola 600, at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Zilisch competes as a full-time driver in the Xfinity Series for the NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s co-owned team, JR Motorsports. He has secured two wins, five top-10 finishes, and three pole positions in 11 starts in his two-year stint. Additionally, the young talent has amassed five wins, eight top-10 finishes, and two pole positions in the ARCA Menards Series.
Connor Zilisch expressed excitement about his crown jewel debut in the upcoming Coca-Cola 600, saying (via SPeedwayDigest.com):
“It’s awesome to have the opportunity to race in one of NASCAR’s coolest events. The Charlotte 600 is one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. It’s going to be a physical and mental challenge because that race is so tough. I’m very appreciative of (Trackhouse owner and founder) Justin (Marks) and everyone at Red Bull for their support and turning this opportunity into a reality.”
The 18-year-old has competed in only one Cup Series race in his career. He drove the #87 Chevy Camaro ZL1 at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix held at the Circuit of the Americas on March 2, 2025. He finished his debut race in P37 while Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell won.
The 400-lap crown jewel event at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled for May 25, 2025. The event will be broadcast on Amazon Prime, PRN, and SiriusXM at 6:00 PM.
Connor Zilisch gets candid about his second win with Dale Jr.’s team in the Xfinity Series
JR Motorsports driver Connor Zilisch won the second race of his Xfinity Series career at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). He bested Hendrick Motorsports William Byron with a margin of 1.639 seconds at the Focused Health 250 held on March 1, 2025.
Reflecting upon the same, Zilisch told CW Network:
“That was way harder than I wanted it to be. I did not drive a clean race at all and sorry to everyone that I hit. I was kind of mentally fogged halfway through that race and glad we were able to fight back.”
Connor Zilisch had a fair share of struggles during the Charlotte race. He was penalized after entering pit roads during a caution, dropping him to 32nd place. However, he recovered well and took the lead from his teammate Caron Kvapil on lap 55, ultimately winning the race.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, native showcased his gratitude to his team by sharing an Instagram post. He wrote:
“Let’s goooooo!!!! So proud of my [JR Motorsports] team. What a crazy day. Thank you to [Weather Tech] for everything! Big day tomorrow starting 14th in the cup race with [Red Bull]nand [Trackhouse Racing], let’s do it again!”
Connor Zilisch ranks seventh on the Xfinity Series points table with 193 points. He secured one win, two top-10 finishes, and one top-five finish. Also, he has secured two poles and led 159 laps in seven starts this year.
Edited by Samya Majumdar
