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Dale Earnhardt Jr. co-owned JR Motorsports has signed Connor Zilisch as a full-time driver for the 2025 Xfinity Series season. The young driver opened up about managing expectations on the Dale Jr Download podcast with the NASCAR Hall of Famer.
Touted as one of the most promising young drivers, Zilisch has carved a name for himself in GT car racing. The 18-year-old racer finished his first Sports Car Club of America season in third position in 2011.
He also grabbed the 'Rookie of the Year' award that year. After gaining substantial experience, the North Carolina-based driver moved to endurance racing, driving in the Le Mans Prototype 2 category.
Zilisch rose to fame after clinching victories in the iconic Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring races in his first attempts in 2024. He also grabbed the pole position for the 2024 Xpel 225 race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. These achievements prompted JR Motorsports to offer Zilisch a full-time seat in the 2025 Xfinity Series.
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Zilisch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke about the challenges faced by a full-time NASCAR driver as well as high expectations from fans on the Dale Jr Download podcast.
Here's a look at a video clip from the episode, shared by Dirty Mo Media via an X post:
"There's a lot of hype surrounding Connor - he speaks on managing expectations of himself and others💯"
"You're 18 years old. I don't see how in the hell you could be able or expected to handle this perfectly, but I know you'll try. So what's, what's your thoughts?" Eardhard Jr. questioned the rising motorsport star (0:11 onwards).
"I'm racing for myself. I try to not listen to outside noise, whether it's good or bad. You know, at the end of the day, I still have to go out and perform and continue to perform because I'm not at the highest level yet," Zilisch replied in a composed manner (0:33 onwards).
Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggests a William Byron-like career path to JR Motorsports newest member
Although Connor Zilisch has carved his path to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he still has a lot to learn. Two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggested a path for the young driver on the latest Dale Jr Download episode.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke about the challenges in the modern NASCAR era and about the importance of Sim racing. He urged the youngster to look at William Byron's career path.
"One of the guys that I think would be incredibly helpful for you would be William Byron. Because of his growth and process of traveling through the different various ladders in the sport, we’re very quick, right?
"When he goes from racing legends cars to the Cup level.” Dale Jr. suggested (1:04:51 onwards)
Here's a look at the entire podcast, posted on Dirty Mo Media's YouTube channel:
