Latest news with #Zilisch
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
NASCAR free agency: What we're hearing about Trackhouse, Connor Zilisch, Kaulig and more
NASCAR's Silly Season — that time of year when drivers and teams are looking to solidify their plans for the next year and speculation about potential moves ramps up — can often be quiet at the onset, giving the feel that no notable major free agency moves will occur. And then, something out of nowhere drops, causing a ripple effect across the Cup Series landscape. Advertisement Quiet is how things presently stand for this year's version of Silly Season — 'very, very quiet,' according to one executive whose team is often in the middle of NASCAR's free-agency period. 'Crickets' is how another industry source described it. This time, though, the expectation from sources throughout the industry is that Silly Season will remain rather uneventful. That's primarily because four of NASCAR's biggest teams — Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing — essentially have their driver lineups locked in for 2026. Not much change is anticipated among many other teams either, for various reasons (drivers in the middle of contracts, sponsorship, performance, etc.). Still, there are things to keep an eye on into the summer, when many deals are brokered and contracts signed. Let's take a look at the drivers and teams to watch. The big domino this Silly Season is Trackhouse. The Justin Marks-owned team has four drivers under contract and only three spots on its Cup roster — one of which is taken, with Ross Chastain still under contract for multiple years and delivering exceptional performance. Jockeying for the other rides are Daniel Suárez, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch. The former two are currently teammates with Chastain in Cup, while the latter is a promising rookie in NASCAR's second-tier Xfinity Series. Both van Gisbergen and Zilisch have term remaining on their respective contracts, with Suárez's contract up at the end of the season. And, ultimately, it may come down to just this factor — letting pending free agent Suárez, who sits 30th in points, walk to promote Zilisch. Of course, it may not be this straightforward. Suárez is well-liked within Trackhouse, has sponsorship, and is more proven on ovals than van Gisbergen, who, in just his first full Cup season, has largely struggled with this type of racing after years focusing exclusively on road courses. Trackhouse could decide that van Gisbergen, who is three spots behind Suárez in the points standings, has hit his ceiling as a NASCAR driver and opt to retain Suárez. All of that is predicated on Trackhouse promoting Zilisch. And this is no sure thing. He'll turn just 19 in July, and he's in his first full season competing at NASCAR's national level. Another year of development isn't necessarily a bad thing. And even if he stays in Xfinity full-time, Trackhouse would continue to provide Zilisch limited Cup starts with its fourth part-time entry. Advertisement 'We'll see what his future holds, but right now we have a mechanism in the company to put that extra car out,' Marks said. 'We just want him to get that experience. No expectations for results or anything like that. 'We have the opportunity to give him the learning experience, and we'll continue to do that. The Cup Series is a different sport than the Xfinity Series. It is just so, so difficult. The only way to learn is to go out there and do it.' Keeping Zilisch in Xfinity for another year also effectively allows Trackhouse to kick any major decisions down the road. This pathway would allow Suárez to keep his ride while also giving Marks more of a sample size to see whether van Gisbergen can adapt to ovals. Then, next year, Trackhouse could decide on whether to retain Suárez or van Gisbergen. Marks told The Athletic that no decisions have been made about Trackhouse's 2026 roster, and the team hasn't even started contemplating it. Something to keep in mind, though, there are three street/road courses in the upcoming seven races, giving van Gisbergen a strong chance to score a win. Should he cash in, it would go a long way to firming up his future with Trackhouse for next year. '(Road courses) are where everyone expects us to perform,' van Gisbergen said. '… It's been a big learning process the last couple of months. It'll be nice to have a break and turn right.' A superstar, championship-contending driver like Denny Hamlin being in a contract year would usually generate plenty of discourse on his future. Except in this case, there is a high probability he re-signs with Joe Gibbs Racing, where he's spent the entirety of his 20-year career. Hamlin said as much last week when asked where negotiations stood. 'Working on it,' Hamlin said. 'Should be something done somewhat soon.' Advertisement Seemingly, no Silly Season overview is complete without mentioning Kaulig Racing, whose driver lineup often is in flux from year to year. It came as no surprise, then, that AJ Allmendinger was uncertain about his status for next season — he has bounced between Kaulig's Cup and Xfinity programs in recent years — when asked by The Athletic. Allmendinger said he wasn't sure where things stood, but was happy to do whatever team owner Matt Kaulig and president Chris Rice thought best. But while Allmendinger may be unclear, Rice left no doubt which series Allmendinger will be competing in next year, saying that '100 percent' Allmendinger will remain as driver of Kaulig's No. 16 Cup entry. Keeping Allmendinger in Cup makes sense considering how much he's elevated the team's performance. He is currently ranked 18th in the standings, just 13 points behind the provisional cutoff to make the playoffs. Ask someone in the garage what they think of 23XI Racing reserve driver Corey Heim and the likely response is that he's both ready for and deserving of a full-time Cup ride. The soon-to-be 23-year-old has 15 Truck Series wins in 75 career starts and impressed in limited Cup starts. 'He's going to be a Sunday Cup guy,' said Hamlin, 23XI co-owner. 'There's no doubt in my mind about it. He's going to be with 23XI for the long haul.' But while Heim will likely be in Cup full-time someday, it won't be next year. Instead, he'll continue to race full-time outside of Cup (with spot Cup starts mixed in) while waiting for an opportunity to materialize. Currently, that opportunity isn't there. 23XI's 2026 lineup is set with Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst all under contract. That makes 2027 the earliest timeline for Heim to secure a full-time Cup ride. '(Heim is) doing everything (he's been) asked to,' Hamlin said. 'He's in the building multiple times per week, working on his craft, continuing to get better, waiting on the opportunity. And he knows he's got a long-term future with 23XI Racing, and he's happy with that. And he's happy with the development process that we have set out for him in the future. But, ultimately, there's only three cars, three charters that we're allowed to have, and so we have to figure out in the future where we go with that.' Other names to watch (listed alphabetically): Aric Almirola, Corey LaJoie, Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith (Top photo of Connor Zilisch hugging Trackhouse teammate Ross Chastain: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
Fox Sports
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Top prospect Connor Zilisch taking it all in stride ahead of Cup oval debut
Connor Zilisch describes his rookie Xfinity season as one of "growing pains," and that has nothing to do with his recent back injury. The 18-year-old Zilisch was seventh in the standings before dropping to 12th after missing the last race at Texas following a hard crash at Talladega. His win at Circuit of the Americas in March has him comfortably in the playoffs, so Zilisch has already accomplished one of the goals. But, frankly, more eyes could be on Zilisch in the Coca-Cola 600 as he makes his Cup oval debut this Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Zilisch finished 37th after a crash about midway through his series debut at COTA, a day after winning the Xfinity race. Zilisch, who honed his road-racing skills in Europe, has been touted as a top Cup prospect the last few years and is under contract with Trackhouse Racing while also having a personal services deal with Red Bull. How he performs in the select Cup races this year, as well as in Xfinity, could determine if he moves to Cup in 2026 or whether he stays in Xfinity for another season. "I'm having so much fun competing for wins every week here," Zilisch said about racing for JR Motorsports in Xfinity. "It's been a blast. "And I try not to look too far into the future. I want to enjoy every race like it's my last, and I'm just trying to make the most of this season with the goal of winning a championship. I know if I do everything I need to do, that long-term I'll be where I want to be." While he has had the speed each week, even at tracks he has never raced previously, Zilisch feels he's not doing everything correctly to get the results worthy of the cars he's driving. "It's just been an up-and-down year," Zilisch said. "But throughout it all, my team and I, we've been getting better every week and understanding what I need out of the car every week and how to go through a race without making mistakes. "I've definitely done things that have hindered myself points-wise. I could have had a lot of better finishes. I have wrecked on all three superspeedway races. I finished 28th at Martinsville with the fastest car. Overall, looking back on it, I feel like we've done a really good job. But I feel like there are things that I can clean up." Many believe Zilisch has the whole package — great talent, grounded mindset and an engaging personality. Kevin Harvick saw Zilisch race at a young age and helped him land a few stock-car rides in order to get a NASCAR career in his grasp. Zilisch has won five ARCA regional series wins, five ARCA national series races and two Xfinity wins, including in his debut race last year at Watkins Glen. He also has a class win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Despite the two Xfinity wins, Zilisch said the "growing pains" in the series include that he can't come back from mistakes as easily as in other series. "I feel like you make one mistake and it ends your day," Zilisch said. "I've never had that before in the racing I've done. ... Learning to minimize mistakes has been probably the toughest part for me, and understanding that one mistake can end your day." The other thing Zilisch has learned is not to overthink his race and strategy. "I feel like coming into the year, I was so worried about how complicated the races were going to be, and going to new tracks and pit road and everything — and, honestly, the less I've tried to think about it, the better I've been," he said. The mistakes have increased chatter on social channels that Zilisch might not live up to the hype. As an 18-year-old who grew up with social media, Zilisch is used to the seeing comments about his performance. Those comments, though, likely have been more critical as the Zilisch hype has increased over the last year. "I don't let it get to me," Zilisch said. "If nobody was watching, I'd still race the same. It's just about going out there every weekend and preparing for every race the same, working with my team to do the best job we can do every weekend. "At times it does get tough to deal with the noise around and getting tagged on Twitter posts and whatever it may be. ... I feel like I've done a good job of just doing my deal and not really letting the outside noise affect me, good or bad." That's good because he has 400 laps in a Cup car ahead and everyone will be watching. "It's going to be tough," Zilisch said. "I don't expect to go and run well, ... but if I'm going to run in the Cup Series one day, I've got to be able to run those races. And there's no better way to get experience than trial by fire. "It's a long race that you can struggle the first half, and then you still have a full Xfinity race in the second half to come back from. There's a lot of time in that race. I feel like it'll be good for me to just get those reps, get the laps, and the more laps in that car, the better. That's part of the reason, is they just want to get me laps in the car, since we can't go testing. And what better way to do that than 400 laps at Charlotte?" Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Newsweek
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Connor Zilisch Confirms NASCAR Return As He Shares Major Health Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Connor Zilisch has confirmed his NASCAR return after suffering a back injury as he shared an update on his recovery with his fans. Confirming the news on social media, the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver stated: "'I'm back.' "My back is all healed up and I'm ready for a big weekend at Charlotte. I'm pumped to make my second Cup start with Trackhouse and get back in the Xfinity car with JR Motorsports. Big thanks to everyone who helped me get back so soon!" The JR Motorsports driver sustained the back injury during a wreck with Jesse Love at Talladega. As a result, he missed the Texas Xfinity race in order to recover. Kyle Larson stepped in for the 18-year-old and went on to secure the victory. Despite not racing at Texas Motor Speedway, Zilisch spoke to the media to give an update. He explained at the time, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports: Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, gives a thumbs up to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26,... Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, gives a thumbs up to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. More"Yeah, I feel okay. You know, a lot of what I'm doing is not up to me, I listen to all the doctors around me and the people around me that have a lot more, not only racing experience, but life experience. "I've got a lot ahead of me, and to rush back into something after a crash like that would be silly. "So, yeah, we're just taking our time with the recovery process, taking it one day at a time, and you know, I'm feeling better every day. Thankful for everyone who's been there for me and been willing to give me unbiased answers throughout the process." He added: "I don't know what I'm allowed to say. "I cleared all my X-rays at the track, and there was nothing obvious. Everything is very minor, I'll say that. But, I don't know what I'm allowed to say to the extent of what my injuries are, but I'll probably just plead the fifth and not get myself in trouble. There is no crazy big injury that is going to hold me for months. It's going to be day by day." Zilisch returns for the BetMGM 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 24.
Newsweek
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Connor Zilisch Sends Message To Kyle Larson After NASCAR Xfinity Texas Win
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Connor Zilisch has reacted to Kyle Larson's NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Texas Motor Speedway. The Cup Series driver was called in last minute by JR Motorsports to stand in for Zilisch after a wreck in Talladega left him injured. The 18-year-old was leading the Xfinity Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway when a crash with Richard Childress Racing driver Jesse Love cost him his race. After the team confirmed mid-week that Zilisch would not take part in Texas due to a back injury, Larson took to the wheel of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. After clinching the win, the injured driver shared a message to social media: "Proud of my team and @KyleLarsonRacin. My turn next." Proud of my team and @KyleLarsonRacin. My turn next😆 — Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) May 3, 2025 Larson commented: "It was a lot of survival, I felt like in that race. I got in some wrecks, the balance we had to work on quite a bit. So, it was fun. I felt like if I could ever get the lead, I could stretch it out, but I couldn't get by Justin (Allgaier). He was running where I needed to be. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, prepares to qualify for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, prepares to qualify for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama."Thanks to JRM for letting me come run this thing here today. Obviously, I wish Connor was in the car, but it means a lot that they thought of me to call up to run this thing." Zilisch gave an update on his recovery while speaking to FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass in Texas. He commented: "Yeah, I feel okay. You know, a lot of what I'm doing is not up to me, I listen to all the doctors around me and the people around me that have a lot more, not only racing experience, but life experience. "I've got a lot ahead of me, and to rush back into something after a crash like that would be silly. "So, yeah, we're just taking our time with the recovery process, taking it one day at a time, and you know, I'm feeling better every day. Thankful for everyone who's been there for me and been willing to give me unbiased answers throughout the process." NASCAR Xfinity Series at Texas Motor Speedway unofficial results
Newsweek
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Connor Zilisch Gives Injury Update: "To Rush Back Would Be Silly"
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. JR Motorsports driver Connor Zilisch has provided an update on his recovery after sustaining a back injury during a wreck with Jesse Love at Talladega last weekend. As a result, will not be racing in Texas. While speaking to FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass (below) at Texas Motor Speedway, Zilisch explained: "Yeah, I feel okay. You know, a lot of what I'm doing is not up to me, I listen to all the doctors around me and the people around me that have a lot more, not only racing experience, but life experience. "I've got a lot ahead of me, and to rush back into something after a crash like that would be silly. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Axalta/clicklane Chevrolet, prepares to drive during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series SciAps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 12, 2025 in Bristol, Tennessee. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Axalta/clicklane Chevrolet, prepares to drive during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series SciAps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 12, 2025 in Bristol, Tennessee."So, yeah, we're just taking our time with the recovery process, taking it one day at a time, and you know, I'm feeling better every day. Thankful for everyone who's been there for me and been willing to give me unbiased answers throughout the process." Connor Zilisch characterized his lower back injury as "minor" and with Texas a high-speed track and then two weeks off for Xfinity, it made sense to sit this week out. He believes he'll be ready to do both Xfinity and Cup at Charlotte as planned later this month. @NASCARONFOX — Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 2, 2025 When asked for specifics on what the injury is, Zilisch added: "I don't know what I'm allowed to say. "I cleared all my X-rays at the track, and there was nothing obvious. Everything is very minor, I'll say that. But, I don't know what I'm allowed to say to the extent of what my injuries are, but I'll probably just plead the fifth and not get myself in trouble. There is no crazy big injury that is going to hold me for months. It's going to be day by day." 31-time NASCAR Cup Series winner Kyle Larson is stepping in for Zilisch in the Xfinity Series this weekend. JR Motorsports confirmed earlier in the week, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports: "Kyle Larson will sub for Connor Zilisch behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway as Zilisch continues to recover from a lower back injury sustained last weekend at Talladega." Following the news of his absence, the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-led team confirmed that Zilisch had been granted a playoff eligibility waiver by NASCAR. The team confirmed in a statement: "Connor Zilisch has been granted a playoff waiver by NASCAR and remains qualified for the 2025 NXS Playoffs."
