In 2025, the only thing more impressive than Connor Zilisch’s 10 Xfinity Series wins is the random side quests he is planning for the off-season. This year, the 19-year-old phenom didn’t just compete; he dominated the regular season, establishing a new record with 18 consecutive top-5 finishes in his rookie campaign. His success earned him the Regular Season Championship and the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. Although he finished 3rd at the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway, Zilisch proved he possessed both the speed and the consistency, earning a full-time ride with Trackhouse Racing in the Cup Series for 2026.

But Zilisch’s drive to compete knows no boundaries. He had to weigh the prestige of running the Rolex 24 at Daytona, which he won in the LMP2 class in 2024 at just 17, against the tradition of the Chili Bowl Nationals dirt midget race. He was also ready to enter the Adelaide 500 Supercars event in Australia before General Motors/Chevrolet advised against the start. Furthermore, he was also denied the opportunity to test a Cadillac Hypercar for the WEC Rookie Test in Bahrain as his second-place finish in the Xfinity Series Championship left him two points short of the required FIA Grade A license points needed for a WEC prototype test.

But the JRM sensation refuses to stop. A significant step in this relentless quest was confirmed with the announcement that Connor Zilisch will get his maiden test outing in a top-class prototype when he joins Action Express Racing for the upcoming IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway in November 2025. He is scheduled to drive the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, a GTP (Grand Touring Prototype) car, which represents the highest echelon of North American endurance racing and competes for overall wins. The test puts him directly in line for a future Rolex 24 drive in the premier class.

Zilisch’s multifaceted career trajectory places him firmly in the tradition of NASCAR drivers known for tackling ‘Double Duty’ and exhibiting extreme versatility. The gold standard for this adaptability is Tony Stewart, the only driver to complete all 1,100 miles of both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. More recently, two-time Cup Series champion and Hendrick Motorsports star Kyle Larson has become the modern era’s most visible crossover star, excelling in NASCAR, midget cars, sprint cars, and attempting the Indy 500.

Ultimately, fans are reacting to Connor Zilisch not just as a prodigious talent but as the heir apparent to the “drive anything with an engine” school of racing, a perspective that is fueling intense excitement globally. His willingness to jump from an Xfinity Series oval to an IMSA prototype to late models showcases an unparalleled dedication to pure speed.

NASCAR fans hail Connor Zilisch as a once-in-a-generation talent

One fan opined, “You know what I want to see? A Red Bull backed Nurburgring 24 entry with him, Kalle Rovanperä and Max Verstappen.” Zilisch, as a Red Bull Athlete, has already raced and won in top-tier endurance racing at the Rolex 24, while Rovanperä is a longtime Red Bull driver who has actively sought out asphalt circuit racing, including a recent F1 test in a Red Bull RB8 and securing a full-time drive in Super Formula in 2026.

On the other hand, Verstappen has confirmed his intention to race in the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours with Red Bull’s backing after successfully securing his necessary DMSB Grade A licence in 2025. This creates an open door for a dream team that embodies Red Bull’s culture of cross-disciplinary excellence. Another fan added, “And he’ll legitimately probably be quick in it. The kid’s ridiculous. The Max Verstappen vs. Kyle Larson debate won’t be an issue pretty soon cause Connor will be the best in the world.”

Zilisch’s background includes major successes in karting, including winning the 2020 CIK-FIA Academy Trophy and the Trans-Am TA2 Series, confirming he possesses the fundamental skills necessary to be quick in anything. Some fans commented, “Luckily he’s got the support of the right people and sponsors to make it all happen.” Zilisch has been part of the Trackhouse Racing developmental driver program since 2024, a relationship that directly led to his full-time Xfinity Series with JRM in 2025.

The foundational support allowed him to attract major blue-chip sponsorship from brands like WeatherTech and the globally recognizable Red Bull, making him capable of achieving new heights in any racing format. However, one fan questioned in disbelief, “Why would chevy tell him no.” His plans to join fellow NASCAR driver Austin Cindric in the season finale of Supercars were complicated when GM faced a major shift in its program.

One of its top teams, Triple Eight Race Engineering, was scheduled to switch from Chevrolet to Ford starting the 2026 season. This impending change created internal difficulties in allocating a competitive entry for Zilisch under the Chevrolet banner, especially as GM’s designated replacement Team 18 had its spare car engaged elsewhere for wind tunnel testing. But some fans know that Zilisch is not one to back away so easily.

One fan compared him to Tony Stewart, saying, “That sounds like a guy I’ve heard of…he did a couple of things…umm…some Stewart guy?” Smoke’s legacy goes far beyond his 3 NASCAR Cup Series championships. He is the only driver in history to win a championship in both the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Cup Series. His unprecedented success across open-wheel, stock car, and dirt track racing cements him as the ultimate archetype for the multi-discipline aspirations now being pursued by Zilisch.