For years, NASCAR has been carving out its place on the global stage. However, the conversation often circles back to one question. Can its talent cross over into Formula 1? It is a debate fueled by the likes of Michael Andretti’s stalled F1 entry and Logan Sargeant’s difficult rookie campaign. Regardless, fans continue to hope. Whispers about the next American driver with international potential carry a lot of weight. And lately, eyes have been turning toward Trackhouse Racing’s young phenom.

Trackhouse has already shown it can disrupt NASCAR’s status quo. From Daniel Suarez’s legacy to Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning Chicago triumph, they’ve enjoyed their share of the spotlight. But owner Justin Marks has bigger ambitions. This includes the infamous Project91 programme. For years, it has been a bridge between NASCAR and global racing stars. Coupled with their recent signing of a promising young prospect, it’s no surprise that insiders Kevin Harvick and Bob Pockrass have plenty to say, including a bold F1 claim in the mix.

Could Connor Zilisch be a future F1 driver?

On the latest episode of the Happy Hour, Kevin Harvick laid it out clearly. “I still firmly believe that Connor Zilisch has the highest possibility of being a true contender in F1 as an American,” he said. Harvick has followed Zilisch’s rise since his karting days. Back then, the teenager competed in Europe against some of the best young drivers in the world. For Harvick, this background separates him from other American hopefuls.

He explained that Zilisch had the rare blend of talent and opportunity. This would have otherwise been enough to land him up elsewhere. “Luckily, we steered him towards NASCAR and not the open-wheel route because he could go over there on talent and make it on the F1 side,” Harvick said. For many drivers, financial backing is the only way into the F1 ladder. Harvick suggested Zilisch was one of the exceptions who could have made it on merit alone. But according to him, there was a price to pay for joining a new system.

Harvick cautioned that once a driver leaves the European system, it is tough to find a way back. “Once you get out of that system and try to go back seven or eight years later, I think it would be really difficult to follow the details of what you need to be doing in a car,” he explained. For Zilisch, that means if the door to F1 opens, it has to be sooner rather than later.

The bigger question is whether the doors of Formula 1 would ever truly open. Only 20 seats exist, and the sport has historically been reluctant to embrace American drivers. Today, Andretti is still lobbying for entry. But in the future, who knows, the timing could align for someone like Zilisch. For now, though, he is focused on his busy NASCAR schedule with a Truck Series race looming.

Zilisch predicted for a big Truck Series finish

Connor Zilisch heads into the EcoSave 250 at Charlotte with all eyes on him. The Trackhouse Racing-bound driver is making just his second NASCAR Truck Series start in a double-duty affair. In fact, many already have him as the favorite. In betting lists, he is placed at +130, ahead of the playoffs topper Corey Heim at +110. That’s a heavy tag to carry. It’ll be certainly interesting to see Zilisch race at Charlotte since he’s never driven a truck there before.

He’ll strap into the No. 7 Silverado for Spire Motorsports. The team has been rolling strong with Rajah Caruth and Corey LaJoie in their lineup. In fact, his timing makes this debut even bigger. It’s the first race of the Round of 8 in the Truck playoffs. A clean run or an upset win here could flip the script for drivers fighting to keep their championship hopes alive.

Regardless of a first outing, there is a statistical advantage at play. Zilisch’s road-course resume speaks for itself. In Xfinity starts, he’s collected five wins, five poles, and never finished worse than fifth. Moreover, he’s bringing back the same chassis Kyle Busch once drove to a road-course victory.

That is a lot of pressure, but also a huge opportunity to prove he belongs. For Zilisch, the race is less about points and more about a statement. If he handles the ROVAL’s tight corners and chaotic restarts the way he has in Xfinity, it could fast-track his rise in NASCAR’s ladder.