Who are Connor Zilisch's parents, Janice Kerr and Jim Zilisch? Everything we know

Connor Zilisch is one of the most sought-after drivers in NASCAR right now. The 18-year-old driver recently made his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with JR Motorsport and delivered an unforgettable race. He snatched the pole at The Glen and went on to win the Mission 200 emphatically.

It's evident that Zilisch brings enormous racing talent with him. One might wonder where he got all his talents from. Is he from a racing background? Who are his parents? Let's delve deeper into Connor Zilisch's parents.

Connor Jackson Zilisch was born on July 22, 2006, to Jim Zilisch and Janice Kerr in Charlotte, North Carolina. While Jim is well-equipped with racing knowledge, he was not a top driver during his time. However, this did not confine him to staying out of his son's racing life as he always supports his son from the spot.

Jim is often seen accompanying his son to the track, regularly posts on social media about his son's race, and provides race schedules to his followers. His contribution to his son's success is impeccable.

Zilisch's mother, Janice Kerr, on the other hand, was a top-level gymnast in the Canadian women's national artistic gymnastics team and took part in the 1984 World Artistic Gymnastic Championship. Besides this, she also has the 1987 and 1988 Southeast Region all-around championships by NCAA under her belt.

Kerr received the Southern Conference H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1990 and was one of only four Florida Gators to claim the award. She is also seen accompanying her son to the racing track.

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Connor Zilisch's racing career in a nutshell

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch (88) celebrates after winning the Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images.

Connor Zilisch began his karting back in 2011 when he was just five years old. He stayed in karting for ten years before moving to cars. During this time, he achieved numerous accolades to his name, such as the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy. He moved to Mazda MX-5 Global Cup and Trans-Am in 2021, and as of 2024, he races in multiple racing series.

Besides competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Charlotte-born driver also competes in the NASCAR Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, the CARS Tour, the Trans-Am Series, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, and the Global MX-5 Cup.

Besides the victory in the Xfinity Series, the 18-year-old also has five notable wins to his name in the ARCA Menards Series and four wins in the ARCA Menards Series East. While there is hardly any doubt about his racing talent, it will now be interesting to see when he finally makes his Cup Series debut.