“It was never in my wildest dreams”: Connor Zilisch comes clean on his association with NASCAR’s former ally turned Trackhouse Racing partner

NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch recently discussed his partnership with Red Bull, the official energy drink sponsor of Trackhouse Racing. As part of Trackhouse's development program, Zilisch is set to compete in select Cup Series events while also running his full-time rookie season in the Xfinity Series.

Connor Zilisch is making his full-time Xfinity Series debut this season, piloting the #88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, a team owned by two-time Xfinity champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. The young driver got his first taste of the series last year, competing in four races for JRM, including his debut in the Mission 200 at Watkins Glen. In an impressive display of skill, Zilisch secured pole position and dominated the field, outperforming several experienced drivers.

Recently, Zilisch appeared in an interview with Mamba Smith where the #88 driver revealed his true emotions on being associated with Red Bull, saying that it was a 'long time dream' to be partnered with the brand.

"It was never in my wildest dreams that I'd be a Red Bull athlete. Definitely a long time dream of mine to be a Red Bull athlete. Got it at a younger age than I expected it but it's been super cool just being a part of the brand and meeting all the people you know, people who work for Red Bull with the creative minds and also the athletes, it's crazy how many you know people they have at the top of their own individual sports, it's pretty crazy" Zilisch said [2:25 onwards]

Connor Zilisch's rookie Xfinity Series season hasn’t started as he had hoped, with the first two races bringing their share of challenges. However, given his skill and determination, he will undoubtedly be focused on improving as the season progresses.

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Connor Zilisch exudes confidence ahead of NASCAR Cup debut at COTA

Connor Zilisch is set to make his Cup Series debut under the Red Bull banner in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA. Zilisch, who has shown his prowess on road courses, expressed that he feels more confident and 'comfortable' about his Cup Series debut than he was for his Xfinity and Truck debut races.

"Honestly, I feel more comfortable going into this weekend than I did when I was going into my Xfinity debut and Truck debut where it was kind of a completely different race car. I'm excited to see what it feels like. Obviously, I've done a lot of sim[ulator] work, but you never really know what you're going to have until you show up to the race track and go out for practice. But thankfully we have extended practice this weekend." Zilisch told Racing America

The Cup Series race at the Circuit of the Americas is scheduled for 3:30 PM Eastern time, this coming Sunday. Catch the JRM drover live on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM.