“I’m a normal kid”: Connor Zilisch opens up after his successful NASCAR Cup Series debut 

At 18 years of age, Connor Zilisch may be young but he has already achieved several feats in the racing scene, including debuting in the NASCAR Cup Series. Regardless, Zilisch only sees himself as a "normal kid" who happens to have delivered at the right place at the right time.

According to a report by Red Bull, Connor Zilisch opened up about his experience growing up as a promising driver. The North Carolina native said that he is trying to enjoy his childhood amid successes in his racing career. Ultimately, he looks to earn a full-time seat in the Cup Series.

Reflecting on his achievements in the past 12 months, Zilisch said:

“It’s been a crazy last 12 months, way beyond what I could have ever imagined [...] I’m trying to soak it all in and enjoy it all. I’m still a kid, and I’m trying to enjoy my childhood while I can because you only get that once."

The 18-year-old also finds it funny when people tell him he's mature for his age.

"It’s funny that everyone always tells me, ‘Oh, you’re so mature for your age' [...] With my friends, I’m the jokester. I’m a normal kid. But I have a switch in me that I know when I need to be a professional," he said.

Zilisch thanked Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks for giving him a platform to help realize his dreams, saying:

"Getting linked up with Trackhouse, Justin Marks and others has done so much for me not only as a driver but as a person. They’re making sure that in every aspect of my life I feel comfortable and am in the right place to succeed.”

Connor Zilisch driving the No. 87 Red Bull Chevrolet Camaro at COTA - Source: Imagn

After making strides in the karting scene in Europe, Connor Zilisch moved back to the United States to race stock cars. The young driver has signed on as a Trackhouse Racing development driver, while also running a full-time Xfinity Series season with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports team.

During the NASCAR race weekend at Circuit of the Americas, Zilisch won his first Xfinity Series race this season, driving the No. 88 Chevy. In the Cup Series, he earned the chance to beat Joey Logano's record of becoming the youngest driver to win in the premier series.

Unfortunately, Zilisch, who drove the one-off No. 87 Chevy with a sponsorship from Red Bull, exited the race early. He collided with teammate Daniel Suarez on lap 50 after the No. 99 car spun out. It created a cloud of smoke, affecting visibility of the trailing drivers, including the No. 87 pilot.

He will return to racing at Phoenix Raceway this weekend with a secured spot in the Xfinity Series playoffs.

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"We want to eliminate distractions": Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks on giving Connor Zilisch more Cup entries

Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks said the team wanted to enter Connor Zilisch into more Cup Series races. However, they look to eliminate distractions in the young driver's chase for a Xfinity Series championship this year.

In an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Marks said:

“We certainly want to give him as much opportunity as possible to get time in the Cup car. But it’s also a little bit of balance for a couple reasons. One, we want him to stay focused on trying to win the Xfinity Series championship.”

He added:

"We want to kind of eliminate distractions and make sure he’s in a position where he can focus on that."

Zilisch competes full-time in the Xfinity Series alongside JR Motorsports drivers Carson Kvapil and Sammy Smith. He is also teammates with veteran driver and defending series champion, Justin Allgaier.