NASCAR Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch is set to compete in IMSA’s Rolex 24 next month, officially joining the Action Express Racing group for the 2026 season opener at Daytona International Speedway. This will mark his third consecutive start in the iconic endurance race, a rare achievement for a driver still in the early stages of his professional career. But he’s scared to flaunt that prowess.

As he prepares to return to one of motorsports’ toughest stages, the Cup Series, Zilisch isn’t just chasing results. He’s carrying the quiet weight of a moment that already changed his life. After winning a Rolex at the 2024 Rolex 24, the 19-year-old now views the famed watch less as a luxury item and more as a symbol of earned respect, responsibility, and perspective. Now, this is a mindset that explains why it almost never leaves his trophy case.

Connor Zilisch explains why his Rolex stays in the trophy case

For Connor Zilisch, the Rolex watch he earned at Daytona isn’t a fashion statement. In fact, it’s a reminder of a moment that reshaped his young career. While many drivers might proudly wear such a prize daily, Zilisch has taken a far more thoughtful approach to what the iconic watch represents to him.

“Although you walk on the street, people don’t know it is a trophy that’s kind of why I don’t wear it all the time. I feel like people seeing a 19-year-old kid wearing a Rolex, they’re gonna think, ‘Man, that kid’s a little brat,’ but in reality, to me it’s a trophy,” Zilisch explained, offering rare insight into the mindset behind his decision.

That perspective stems directly from how the watch was earned. Zilisch first competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2024, driving for Era Motorsport in the LMP2 class. Teaming up with Christian Rasmussen, Ryan Dalziel, and Dwight Merriman, he claimed a class victory in one of endurance racing’s most demanding events. The win made him one of the youngest Rolex 24 winners in history. And the watch that came with it symbolized far more than luxury.

Despite its significance, Zilisch is careful about when he wears it. The Rolex only comes out for moments that matter. He wore it to his senior high school prom, a milestone far removed from pit lanes and podiums, and later to the NASCAR awards banquet. These were perfect occasions that matched the weight of what the watch represents to him.

Now, Zilisch returns to Daytona for the 64th running of the Rolex 24 from January 22–25, 2026, facing an entirely new challenge. This marks his first start in the premier GTP class, where he’ll pilot the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series R alongside Earl Bamber, Jack Aitken, and Frederik Vesti. After coming up short in 2025, Zilisch arrives with renewed motivation. And perhaps another chance to earn a Rolex worthy of the trophy case.

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Zilisch embraces the long game ahead of his Cup Series leap

As Connor Zilisch prepares for his first full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, the 19-year-old is approaching the opportunity with a level of calm maturity that belies his age. Rather than setting lofty goals, Zilisch has made it clear that learning and longevity matter more than immediate results.

Speaking to NASCAR Live, the rookie openly addressed his mindset heading into 2026.

“It’s exciting for me and going into this year, I don’t really have any expectations from myself but I just wanna go out there and enjoy it, learn…if you were hard on yourself and you don’t cut yourself any slack and you get really, really mad and upset about the bad days, then you’re gonna get burn out really quick and learn to not love it,” he said.

That perspective comes despite a breakout Xfinity Series season with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports, where Zilisch racked up a series-high 10 wins and delivered some of the most dominant rookie performances in recent memory. The success fast-tracked him into a full-time Cup Series ride with Trackhouse Racing for 2026, but Zilisch understands that past results don’t guarantee immediate success at NASCAR’s highest level.

The Cup Series represents a massive leap. There’ll be faster cars, increased aerodynamic complexity, deeper strategy layers, and a field stacked with champions and hardened veterans. Even drivers who have dominated Xfinity often struggle early, with Ty Gibbs serving as a recent reminder that Cup racing can be brutally unforgiving.

Beyond the on-track challenge, Zilisch must also manage the spotlight that follows a young phenom. Expectations from fans, media, and sponsors can mount quickly, adding mental strain to an already steep learning curve. Zilisch has acknowledged that there will likely be more bad days than good early on, making emotional control just as important as raw speed.

To balance that transition, he plans to lean on select Xfinity starts as a confidence reset.

“Yeah, I’ve got a couple of Xfinity races… I think I’ll be running the Texas Xfinity race and some other ones maybe Chicago,” Zilisch said. “Also, it’ll probably be good to have that as a bit of a confidence booster after getting beat up on Sunday for the first few weeks, so hopefully by the end of the year I get a hang up things on Sundays and find my footing.”