Connor Zilisch is a rising star in NASCAR, having won at every level he has competed in, but his dream drive is elsewhere
16:47 ET, 23 Jul 2025Updated 16:47 ET, 23 Jul 2025
Connor Zilisch has worldly aspirations beyond the ovals and road courses of NASCAR(Image: Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Connor Zilisch continues to nurture aspirations of competing in Formula 1 as he advances through the motorsport hierarchy and delivers standout performances in NASCAR.
Zilisch has established himself as one of NASCAR’s most promising talents. The 19-year-old has secured victories at every competitive level, including a memorable triumph with Dale Earnhardt Jr. acting as his temporary crew chief.
At Sonoma Raceway, Zilisch delivered a stunning performance by overcoming the red-hot Shane van Gisbergen in an electrifying Xfinity Series battle. Van Gisbergen has been in scorching form lately, capturing three victories in the previous five Cup Series contests, which underscores the teenager’s exceptional talent.
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Despite generating buzz and making waves in NASCAR, Zilisch began his motorsport journey in karting and gained experience across Europe.
His initial ambition centered on reaching Formula 1, and that objective remains firmly planted in his future aspirations.
“It’s always in the back of my mind,” Zilisch revealed on the Stacking Pennies Podcast regarding a potential F1 career. “Growing up it was my dream, I wanted to race F1. I went to Europe when I was a kid racing go-karts, it’s what I wanted to do. It’s just when I was younger, I didn’t really have the chance.
“Now with an American team [Cadillac] being brought to F1, having connections with Red Bull and being kinda tied in there, I’d say the chances aren’t zero.”
Zilisch has won four Xfinity Series races in 2025(Image: GETTY)
Cadillac is gearing up to join the F1 grid for the 2026 season, but Zilisch has his sights set on making a name for himself in NASCAR first.
He’s seeking a long-term commitment before he even considers switching gears, despite his successful karting career in Europe where he clinched the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy series in 2020.
“If it were to happen, I’d have to go over there for at least a year, two years probably to even get enough Super Licence points to qualify,” Zilisch stated.
“I’d run F3… I’d just run a bunch of ‘BS’ series to get Super Licence points. Middle East F3, random things that you can do to get the points.
“That’s why it would be such a big commitment. I’d want to get settled in here first and know that if I go over there for two years I could come back and still have a job.”
Zilisch is certainly intrigued by the idea of racing in different cars and series.
“I’m not the guy who cares to win 250 races in NASCAR like a Kyle Busch or care to go for a win record.
“I want to win a championship here and I want to be successful, but I want to experience different series and different cultures and what there is to explore in the world of motorsports.”