When one door closes, another one opens. A week ago, Connor Zilisch was crushed. He didn’t just miss out on the Xfinity title; he also lost his shot at a Cadillac JOTA test during the final WEC rookie session. 10 more points would have boosted his FIA super license tally, and a championship would’ve pushed him even closer to top-tier credentials. Instead, the playoff format wiped those hopes away.

But things have shifted quickly for the North Carolina youngster. Connor Zilisch was back in action this Saturday, turning laps during IMSA’s fast on-track test weekend ahead of January’s 24 Hours of Daytona. And the 19-year-old couldn’t be more thrilled to be back behind the wheel.

Connor Zilisch finds his mojo back at Daytona

The newest Cup driver described his first Cadillac V-Series R laps as “a lot of fun,” capping off a morning in which the 19-year-old completed 33 trouble-free laps in Action Express Racing’s No. 31 Whelen car during IMSA’s preseason test at Daytona. The session served as an early audition for a possible fourth driver slot in the team’s Rolex 24 at Daytona lineup, a chance that became even more valuable after he was unable to participate in last week’s WEC rookie test in Bahrain.

Even then, the North Carolina native said that Daytona was the perfect place to begin learning the GTP platform. He said, “It was awesome. It’s very different, but at the same time similar to things I’ve driven in the past. It’s kind of a mixture between the P2 car and the GT3 I drove this year. It’s a little heavier than the P2, more power, but really cool. There’s a lot of new controls and things I have to learn. It was a lot of fun getting to feel it out and run a lot of laps.”

Beyond this weekend’s test, Zilisch is no stranger to building a strong endurance resume. He won the LMP 2 class at Daytona at 17 last year. And returned this year in GTD Pro driving a TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in Florida alongside Shane Van Gisbergen, Scott McLaughlin, and Ben Keating, and is now aiming for a third Rolex 24th start, this time in GTP, should Action Express add him to their lineup.

Reflecting on his Endurance races, the future Trackhouse Racing driver said:

“The first time I came to Daytona racing on this weekend was in MX-5 Cup in 2022. I’ve loved it ever since. Being able to race in the 24 Hours is something I’ve dreamed of as a kid. That’s why I always come back and keep doing it. It’s my third time doing it in my third different car that I’ve done it in…I’m just excited for the opportunity to even be here today and get this chance to test the car. It’s been such a dream of mine to get to drive in the highest class of IMSA.”

This definitely takes away some pain from the lost Xfinity title. Action Express’ director of operations, Chris Mitchum, was more than pleased with the 19-year-old’s performance.

“He did great. He got in the car on some older tires. We’re trying to space out when we use the tires and getting him a long run in some mixed traffic was great. He didn’t take any big bites at the apple but had constant improvement. I’d say the pace he ran was equal to the life of the tires. It was pretty comfortable. There were no earth-shattering moments or issues at all. It was a good comfortable run to get a good number of laps,” he said.

Maybe the IMSA run was destined to take over from the missed WEC opportunity, but that’s something we’ll never know. Connor Zilisch has a lot of work to do this postseason. Barring his most recent testing, Zilisch is set to move up the ladder to the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing. This incredible feat of earning a Cup ride by being a standout as a rookie in the Xfinity Series is beyond commendable. But more recently, one veteran delivered a harsh reality on these dreams.

Joey Logano delivers harsh truths about Cup racing amid Zilisch’s debut

Joey Logano knows it all too well. The three-time Cup champion knows firsthand what it’s like to enter the NASCAR top level at 18 and sees both the promise and the challenges ahead of Connor Zilisch. As someone who carried the label of the “next big thing,” he understands the pressure more than anyone else. And the Penske driver didn’t shy away from giving a reality check to the 19-year-old phenom.

He said, “I think he’s better than I was at that age, and he seems to be more mature than I was at that age. It’s easy as an 18- or 19-year-old to drink the Kool-Aid… Cup racing is different. Everybody is great at this level. Everybody is fantastic. You can’t drink your own Kool-Aid too much where you think you’re the next thing because you’re going to get here and fall on your face.” 

That sentiment echoed around the garage. The North Carolina native has already proved that he can dominate at lower levels, but in the Cup Series, even the brightest prospects discover how unforgiving the competition can be. Moving from winning regularly in Xfinity to battling for survival in a world that demanded patience, resilience, and a full understanding of just how deep the talent pool is in NASCAR’s highest tier.

NASCAR history is full of rising stars who dominated the lower ranks but struggled as Cup rookies. Take Joe Gibbs Racing‘s youngest driver, for example.  Ty Gibbs, finishing 18th in his 2023 debut season, is a recent reminder of how steep the jump can be. Zilisch has climbed faster than most, which highlights both his raw potential and the size of the challenge ahead.

 Zilisch’s real test begins at the 2026 Daytona 500, where he will line up against veterans with Cup championships to their name and years of top-tier experience. With every step now under intense scrutiny, the coming season will reveal not only how quickly he adapts but also how he handles adversity on NASCAR’s biggest stage.