Connor Zilisch, driving the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, is set to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions at Phoenix Raceway on March 7, 2026. As Zilisch approaches his first Cup Series race at Phoenix, he shared his thoughts on his ongoing NASCAR journey, future ambitions, and how he is adapting to the challenges of the season.
With his growing presence in NASCAR, especially in the Cup Series, the spotlight is on Zilisch as he navigates the demands of high-level competition while staying focused on the races ahead.
Commitment to NASCAR Over Other Racing Disciplines
Although Connor Zilisch has experience racing in series outside NASCAR, when asked about a potential future in European endurance racing events such as Le Mans, he indicated that his focus remains firmly on NASCAR for now. While he has long admired iconic endurance races, he does not foresee a shift to those events in the near term.
“Not anytime soon. No, I’m pretty committed to NASCAR and what I’ve got going here. I’ve always dreamed of racing at Le Mans and stuff like that. But yeah, it’s going to have to wait.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Reflections on the ‘Full Speed’ Docuseries
Zilisch recently participated in the latest iteration of the ‘Full Speed’ docuseries, which offers a glimpse into his rapid ascent to the NASCAR Cup Series. He acknowledged that many fans are still learning about his background and racing path, and valued the opportunity to share his story through the series. Although he had not yet fully watched the docuseries, the excerpts he previewed impressed him.
“Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I’m very new to NASCAR, obviously, and although I feel like I’ve made it to the Cup Series quickly, not a lot of people really know me, how I got here or much about me at all. So yeah, it’s cool to share my story a little bit through that docuseries. I haven’t watched it yet, but I saw clips from it before they posted. I thought they did a really good job piecing everything together. I was going to watch it on the flight here, but I ended up playing Mario Kart the whole flight. But I’ll end up watching it sometime here in the next few days.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Managing Heat and Equipment Concerns During Races
Heat management is critical in NASCAR, especially with the use of cooling shirts that help drivers endure extreme cockpit temperatures. Zilisch discussed how he prioritizes airflow to his cooling systems to avoid malfunctions, emphasizing that sacrificing a minor aerodynamic advantage is worthwhile to ensure his cooling gear functions properly during races. He has been fortunate so far to avoid any failures, mindful of how much worse conditions become without effective cooling.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s always a risk when you wear that thing is that it could always fail. But you know, you have to have airflow to it. That’s a big part of it. If you cut off the airflow to the cool shirt box, it gets hot and fails. I’ve always made sure to tell my team that I’ll give up a count or two of downforce to make sure that I’m not going to burn up inside the race car, and if that means flowing a little extra air to it, then so be it.
But you know, I’ve never had one of those fail… knock on wood. But yeah, surely last week if mine failed, it would have been a really tough day. It was already hot and when those things fail, it gets hotter than just being in the car without anything.
Yeah, it’s always a risk. But thankfully, I haven’t had one fail on me yet.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Perspective on Points Standing and Season Outlook
Currently positioned 32nd in the points standings, Zilisch acknowledged that this is not where he or his team wants to be. Recognizing the intensity and length of the 36-race season, he remains realistic about the early stage and emphasizes the importance of consistent effort despite results that don’t yet reflect their performance level.
“It’s not what we want, obviously. Although it’s early, you still think about it. But it’s a very long season. We’re three races into 36, so although I’d rather be sitting inside the top-10 and say ‘yeah, it’s good’, a lot of it’s out of our control. I feel like we’ve ran better than 32nd in points so far this year, and the results just haven’t really shown it. So yeah, we just got to keep doing our thing and it’ll turn around.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Building Trust on the Track and Learning Lessons as a Rookie
Zilisch discussed the dynamics of racing alongside veterans and how racers with more tenure, like Brad Keselowski, might naturally attract more cooperation from teammates and competitors. While acknowledging the challenge of earning trust from other drivers who may not yet be familiar with his style, Zilisch expressed confidence that this will develop over time.
He also reflected on the tough early weeks of his rookie Cup season and stressed the importance of resilience, focusing on controllable factors rather than dwelling on setbacks.
“Yes and no. I mean, I think if Joey Logano’s lined up behind me and he has the option to push Brad Keselowksi who’s got 25 years of experience, or me, he’s probably going to push Brad.
But I think it definitely helps not having a bad reputation, so I think there’s a lot of guys that are willing to work with me. But, you know, not a lot of people have seen me on track to trust me or whatever it is. But yeah, it’s definitely something that you build over time and it’ll continue to grow.
I would say after each race, you can’t let it get to you. Obviously I’ve had a couple rough weeks so far, but you just have to keep doing the same thing and know that it’s going to turn back your way eventually and that things are going to start to go well. After the first two weeks, I was sitting dead last in points. I went to COTA last week and felt like I had a chance to win the race and finish 14th. It sucks, but you got to know that there’s a lot left in front of you and you can’t stress on the things that are out of your control.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Off-Track Interests and Pre-Race Routine
Among his ways to pass time during travel, Zilisch enjoys playing Mario Kart with members of his crew on Nintendo Switch consoles during charter flights. He mentioned Donkey Kong as one of his favorite characters and Rainbow Road as his preferred track, highlighting these moments as lighthearted distractions that help reduce the monotony of long flights.
“Yeah, a couple of my crew guys on my team, we all have Nintendo Switches and we hop on Mario Kart on the flights to make them a little quicker. When you don’t have Wi-Fi, I guess that’s the stuff you do (laughs). I switch around. I was running Donkey Kong for a little bit. You know, he’s my go-to, but my favorite track would probably be rainbow road. I like rainbow road. But it’s fun. It passes time. The flights out here on the charter planes can get long, so it’s good to have something to keep your mind busy.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Engagement with IndyCar and Aspirations for Indianapolis 500
During a combined racing weekend featuring both NASCAR and IndyCar events at Phoenix Raceway, Zilisch acknowledged his admiration for the Indianapolis 500 as one of his bucket list races. Although he had not yet interacted with IndyCar drivers that weekend, he planned to visit the grid before the NASCAR race to greet friends competing in the open-wheel series. His primary focus, however, remained on his NASCAR commitments.
“No, I haven’t. I’ll probably walk out to the grid before the race. I’ve got a couple of friends out there that I’ll go say hello to and wish luck, but I’ve been pretty focused on what we’ve got at stake this weekend in the Cup Series. I’ll watch their race. I’ll hang out for the race. You know, I’m curious to see what it’s like, but I haven’t been doing anything around the paddock.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
First Experience Racing a Cup Car at Phoenix Raceway
Having previously posted solid performances at Phoenix Raceway in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Zilisch prepared for his debut in a NASCAR Cup car on this track. He commented on the unique challenges of the dog leg section of the oval and the increased complexity of shifting gears in the Next Gen Cup car, marking Phoenix as an important milestone in his rookie season. He expressed enthusiasm about learning how the Next Gen car handles here and hope for a strong weekend performance.
“Yeah, I’m excited. Phoenix is a really cool racetrack. There’s a lot of ways to go about it. I think the dog leg is rough no matter what race car you’re in. You’ve always got to readjust your helmet after you get done with rolling through there. I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like in a Cup car. I know it’s a little bit quicker. You know, you’re shifting. It’s my first time ever shifting at an oval. I guess I shifted at like St. Louis last year, but in the Cup car, at least, it’s my first time.
So yeah, I’m excited to see what it’s like. It’s going to be cool to figure it out, and hopefully we can have a good weekend.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Assessing Comfort Level with the Next Gen Car Early in the Season
Zilisch described the progression of his comfort driving the Next Gen car over the initial races, noting that with two speedway events and one road course already behind him, the Phoenix race represents the true start of understanding the team’s competitiveness and his own capabilities. He is optimistic that his performance will continue to improve as he adapts more fully this season.
“Yeah. I mean, we’re three races in, but really, the season starts this weekend in a way. Obviously, I can’t say that exactly, but the first three races, we had two speedways and a road course, so this is the first race where you kind of start to figure out where we are as a team and how fast our race cars are going to be. Phoenix is the first test to that. So yeah, it really all starts this weekend. I feel like I’ve done a good job at the speedways and last weekend at the road course, but this will really be the test of how comfortable I am. I think it’s just going to continue to get better as the year goes on.” – Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Cup Series driver
The Bigger Picture: Chevrolet and General Motors in Motorsport
Connor Zilisch competes under the Chevrolet banner, part of General Motors’ extensive motorsports portfolio. GM operates with a broad vision to innovate in safety, performance, and electrification through participation in various racing series including NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA, and FIA World Endurance Championships. Chevrolet’s involvement in NASCAR through teams like Trackhouse Racing demonstrates GM’s commitment to maintaining a strong presence in American motorsports while advancing future transportation technologies.
Looking Ahead to the NASCAR Season and Zilisch’s Development
As Connor Zilisch advances through his rookie season, the Phoenix Raceway event promises to be a critical moment for testing both his skill and the competitiveness of his Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. His focus on incremental improvement, handling setbacks with resilience, and building chemistry with fellow drivers are important factors for staying competitive across the remaining 33 races of the season.
With a long NASCAR season ahead, Zilisch’s willingness to adapt, along with his ambition to one day pursue endurance racing milestones like Le Mans, marks him as a driver to watch as he continues to grow within the NASCAR Cup Series.
