Connor Zilisch Faces Disappointment After Narrow Xfinity Championship Loss
Connor Zilisch’s recent near-miss at the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship has not only denied him a title but also cost him a critical opportunity to participate in the FIA World Endurance Championship Rookie Test. The test, scheduled for November 9 in Bahrain, was intended to showcase Zilisch’s talents with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA but has been off the table due to a lack of requisite ACCUS license points stemming from his championship loss to Jesse Love.
The 19-year-old driver, widely recognized as NASCAR’s top young talent, was set to advance his sports car racing credentials with this test. However, missing the title means he has been removed from the testing roster.
Despite this setback, Zilisch will appear on the provisional entry list for the IMSA Daytona Sanctioned Test, allowing him to drive a Cadillac V-Series.R for Action Express Racing, thanks to different eligibility criteria between FIA and IMSA events. Strong performance at this test could position him for a potential GTP drive at the 2026 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Zilisch’s rapid ascent in motorsports is noteworthy. He first garnered attention through a strong karting career culminating in the 2020 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, followed by wins in various series, including a memorable debut with Era Motorsport in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. His breakout moment came when he became one of the youngest drivers to win the LMP2 class at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
In a stellar 2025 season, Zilisch secured 10 victories in Xfinity’s regular season, setting a record for the most wins by a rookie driver in the series. His journey will continue as he shifts to full-time commitments in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing.
While still prioritizing stock car racing, Zilisch made a return to endurance racing this year at the Rolex 24, driving a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. His evolving career remains closely monitored, with significant expectations for future achievements.
