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Dale Earnhardt Jr’s 17-Year-Old Prodigy Gets Truck Series Call-Up From Spire Motorsports

Published 03/15/2024, 10:31 AM EDT

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Connor Zilisch has already cemented his status as a young prodigy. Collecting the 2024 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona award, he is well on his way to a spectacular season this year. Recently, Dale Earnhardt Jr heralded his entry into the NASCAR Xfinity Series following his 18th birthday at Watkins Glen International on Sept. 14. Now, his ambitions have hiked a little more.

Connor Zilisch is gearing up for Truck besides Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Xfinity ride

Dale Earnhardt Jr may have bagged Connor Zilisch for Xfinity, but other racing teams are also eyeing the budding talent to join their forces. Bob Pockrass recently rolled out the update that Connor Zilisch will participate in Truck Races as well. He tweeted: “Connor Zilisch will drive the Spire No. 7 truck next week at COTA as well as Talladega and Homestead later this year.”

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Spire Motorsports will host Zilisch as he forays into the Craftsman Truck Series schedule. He will compete in his first-ever Truck race next weekend in XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on March 24. The Mooresville, North Carolina native will take the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado at the 3.41-mile road course in Austin, Texas. Zilisch will also participate in the Truck race at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

 

Spire president Doug Duchardt said how operations are afoot to make the best of Zilisch’s abilities. “We’re thrilled to have Connor Zilisch drive the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado this season, but separately, we’re looking forward to working closely with our friends at Chevrolet and Trackhouse Racing to help Connor get some vital seat time.”

Duchardt also waxed euphoric about Zilisch’s exceptional talents. “It’s almost hard to get your arms around how accomplished he really is, given that he’s just 17 years old. Based on what he’s done already, we expect Connor to be a key contributor as we race for a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner’s championship.”

While Connor Zilisch is excited about working with Dale Jr, he is also pumped to be racing with Spire Motorsports.

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Zilisch is gleeful about working with Spire and a new sponsor

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Connor Zilisch’s driving skills have got racing teams vying for his presence. Yet he acknowledges all of them equally. He was ecstatic about landing a place in JR Motorsports, and now he is equally excited to work with Spire. “I can’t wait to make my NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas, as well as other select races with Spire Motorsports this year,” said Zilisch. “Spire has obviously had a lot of success already this year, so I know that I’m getting into winning equipment. I’ve been doing a lot of preparation for COTA, and I feel that it’s a track that suits my style.”

The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer will be the primary sponsor for Zilisch’s truck schedule. Zilisch gave due credit to his benefactor as well. “I can’t wait to get to work with these guys and hopefully get my No. 7 Austin Hatcher Foundation Chevy Silverado to Victory Lane”.

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With veteran racer Dale Earnhardt Jr fielding Connor Zilisch’s debut in NASCAR, the 17-year-old prodigy is in good hands. We should expect a good load of wins from the young driver this year.

What Drives Connor Zilisch – The Teenage Phenom With the Resume of a Veteran

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Written by:

Sumedha Mukherjee

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Sumedha Mukherjee is a NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports who is known for her in-depth track analysis as well as her lifestyle coverage of Cup drivers like Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick. Inspired by the Kiwi's journey so far, Sumedha has also written pieces on Shane Van Gisbergen, predicting how the Supercars Champion would do in the new and unfamiliar American setting. Pairing her research skills with her vast experience as a writer, Sumedha creates stories her readers can easily get lost in.
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Edited by:

Shreya Singh