Connor Zilisch, the 19-year-old American teen, has quickly made a big name for himself. Last year, at just 18, he already won the LMP2 class race at the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. He also captured several ARCA and NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, including a victory in his Xfinity debut. In 2025, he races full-time for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series and has signed a multi-year Cup Series deal with Trackhouse Racing starting in 2026. But before his professional achievements, let’s get to know a bit more about his net worth, salary, and other financial assets.

What is Connor Zilisch’s net worth?

Zilisch’s net worth is estimated to be in the range of $3 million to $5 million USD as of late 2025, a valuation that is heavily weighted toward his immediate and guaranteed future earning potential rather than just historical prize money. Zilisch’s earnings so far have come from race prize money and sponsorship deals, which are modest at this stage.

For example, he won a $110,000 racing scholarship in 2021, and single-race payouts in the Xfinity Series can be on the order of tens of thousands, earning about $7,200 for an 18th-place finish at the Phoenix Xfinity race. By contrast, long-time Cup drivers have careers in the tens of millions, for instance, Kevin Harvick, worth approximately $110M.

In layman’s terms, he is earning money but still at a rookie level. Securing a full-time Cup ride at age 19 locks in nearly a decade of prime earning years, substantially lowering the financial risk for team investors and justifying the high projected net worth estimate.

Connor Zilisch’s contract breakdown

Zilisch is currently under contract with both Xfinity and the future Cup racing. He has a full-time ride with Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s JR Motorsports for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity season. In August 2024, JRM announced that Zilisch would drive the No. 88 Chevrolet for them in 2025 as a development step.

In addition, Trackhouse Racing has signed Zilisch to a multi-year Cup Series contract beginning in 2026. The core of the contract guarantees his full-time promotion to the elite NASCAR Cup Series with the team, where he will replace Daniel Suárez. His dominance in 2025, culminating in 10 wins and the Regular Season Championship, ensures that his 2026 Cup salary starts at a premium level, reflecting proven organizational value rather than mere rookie potential.

Projections based on the escalation of top Cup driver salaries suggest Zilisch’s 2026 Cup rookie base salary will likely fall between $1.5 million and $2.5 million USD. Performance escalators in subsequent years (2027-2028) are anticipated to push his base pay into the $3 million to $5 million range, positioning him among the top echelon of young NASCAR earners immediately.

What is Connor Zilisch’s salary?

Connor Zilisch’s 2025 salary structure is atypical for an Xfinity Series driver, largely defined by unprecedented performance bonuses. His estimated base salary for the 2025 Xfinity season sits in the range of $500,000 to $750,000 USD with JR Motorsports.

NASCAR payouts, particularly in the Xfinity Series, are heavily weighted towards race winners and top finishers. With 10 victories (almost one-third of the races) and the Regular Season Championship in 2025, his contract likely yields a significant percentage of the race purses and the multi-million dollar points fund allocation for JR Motorsports.

This performance-driven structure has potentially added an estimated $1 million to $1.5 million USD in performance bonuses this year alone. This puts his total 2025 compensation well over the $1.5 million mark, establishing a staggering income level for an Xfinity competitor preparing for his 2026 Cup Series debut.

Conor Zilisch’s career earnings

Zilisch earned a $110,000 scholarship to race in the Mazda Miata Cup and has won thousands of dollars per race in lower series. For instance, he won the 2nd-place $85,000 prize in the 2022 MX-5 Cup at Road Atlanta. In NASCAR events, Xfinity Series winners typically collect on the order of $150,000 or more for a win.

Zilisch also scored his first Xfinity victory at Watkins Glen in 2024, which likely paid a six-figure bonus. Adding these up, his total career earnings from racing prizes and stipends to date are likely in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars in total. There is no published total. In US dollars, we can say Zilisch has earned some prize money (for example, $110K from a scholarship and thousands per race) but certainly not the multi-million totals of veteran stars.

Connor Zilisch’s professional career

Zilisch developed his skills in karts and sports cars before breaking into NASCAR. Born in 2006, he won the global CIK-FIA Karting Academy trophy in 2020, becoming the first American to do so. He then raced sports cars in LMP2, capturing class victories at the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Meanwhile, he began stock car racing in ARCA and NASCAR’s lower series. In ARCA, Zilisch notched multiple wins in 2023-24, including the Atlas 150 and Dutch Boy 150.

The leap to the NASCAR national series was swift. In 2024, he made a few Truck and Xfinity starts, famously winning his first Xfinity race at Watkins Glen for JRM. That performance led JRM to sign him for a full Xfinity season in 2025. He continued racking up wins and poles in Xfinity during 2025. Off the track, Zilisch practices at the Trackhouse Racing Motorplex and works with veteran coaches. His rookie résumé marks him as a rising star.

Connor Zilisch’s brand endorsements

Connor Zilisch’s financial profile is still emerging as he climbs the racing ladder. He has no widely-reported net worth yet, reflecting his status as a newcomer. However, he has secured significant sponsorship backing. For example, JR Motorsports recently announced a new partnership with Blues Hog, making the BBQ sauce company the primary sponsor of Zilisch’s No. 88 car for three races in 2025.

Zilisch himself remarked that “the car looks great” with the new paint scheme, while Blue Hog’s owner praised the tie-in with motorsports and cheekily told fans to “Stay Saucey!” In summary, Zilisch’s endorsements and contracts hint at a bigger future. As a rising star backed by brands like Red Bull and Roto-Rooter, Connor Zilisch is positioned to increase his on- and off-track value in the coming years.