In motorsports, money usually talks loudest. Big purses, big contracts, bigger headlines. But at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, there’s a prize that speaks in a completely different language. Yes, the winners do take home a hefty paycheck, but that’s never been the real obsession.

Since Rolex became the title sponsor in 1992, victory at Daytona has meant earning a Rolex Daytona watch — a symbol of endurance, patience, and racing immortality. Names etched into steel, joining one of the smallest and most respected clubs in motorsports. And for Trackhouse Racing star Connor Zilisch, that honor isn’t about cash at all. It’s about belonging, legacy, and chasing something priceless.

A Rolex that fuels the fire

For Trackhouse Racing driver Connor Zilisch, the most powerful trophy in his cabinet isn’t something he shows off. It’s something that quietly keeps pushing him forward.

As he put it, “I think having a Rolex in my possession keeps the fire going. I don’t think if I had one I would want another one as bad, but having the first one and realizing how cool it is to be a part of such a small group of people who have won that race, it makes me wanna go back and do it again.”

That mindset says everything about how Zilisch views the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Not as a flex, but as fuel.

Zilisch first tasted that feeling in 2024, when he made his Rolex 24 debut with Era Motorsport in the LMP2 class. Paired with Christian Rasmussen, Ryan Dalziel, and Dwight Merriman, he helped guide the No. 18 car through 24 grueling hours of traffic, pressure, and fatigue.

When the checkered flag finally fell, Zilisch walked away a class winner and instantly became one of the youngest drivers ever to win the Rolex 24. It was a career-defining moment, and one that placed him in a club most racers spend their entire lives chasing. Ironically, the very watch that symbolizes that achievement isn’t something Zilisch flaunts.

Valued at roughly $10,000, the Rolex Daytona mostly stays tucked away in his trophy cabinet. Zilisch has admitted he’s cautious about wearing it too often, partly out of fear of being labeled a “brat” for showing it off.

Still, the watch has made a few meaningful appearances. Most notably at his senior high school prom and later at the NASCAR awards banquet, moments where pride outweighed perception.

Now, Zilisch is back at Daytona for the 64th running of the Rolex 24 from January 22–25, 2026. This time, he is facing a completely new test. This time, he steps into the premier GTP class, driving the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series R alongside Earl Bamber, Jack Aitken, and Frederik Vesti.

For the Trackhouse Racing star, the Rolex isn’t a finish line but more like a reminder. Once you earn it, the hunger doesn’t fade. It only grows louder, ticking away with every lap back at Daytona.

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Playing the long game at Trackhouse Racing

As Connor Zilisch gears up for his first full-time NASCAR Cup Series season in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing, the most striking thing isn’t his ambition, but his restraint. At just 19, Zilisch isn’t talking about wins, playoffs, or proving doubters wrong. Instead, he’s focused on something far less flashy but far more sustainable: learning to enjoy the process.

“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,” Zilisch said.

For a young driver stepping into NASCAR’s toughest arena, that mindset feels refreshingly grounded.

A big part of that confidence comes from the man calling the shots atop the pit box. Zilisch is putting real faith in his crew chief, Randall Burnett, even though Burnett’s recent Cup résumé isn’t exactly glowing. His partnership with Kyle Busch ended mid-season, and the duo failed to win a race across the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

This was a stretch that raised eyebrows across the garage. But Zilisch, with Trackhouse Racing, sees the bigger picture.

“He’s a great guy. He worked with a lot of younger guys. He was with Tyler and Xfinity and worked with him in Cup as well, and then he’s also worked with guys like, obviously, Kyle Bush, one of the most pronounced guys in our sport, and so he’s got a lot of experience,” he explained.

That experience is rooted in development, not just results. Burnett famously served as Tyler Reddick’s crew chief during the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, when the pair won six races and the championship. They later moved up to the Cup Series together, navigating the growing pains that come with the jump. Zilisch believes that the same blueprint – patience, guidance, and trust – can work again at Trackhouse Racing.