Along with his NASCAR Cup Sequence debut within the rearview, Connor Zilisch made an early assertion and gave a warning, too. Kevin Harvick sees that the proficient younger driver has what it takes to disrupt quite a lot of drivers within the close to future.
Connor Zilisch places Trackhouse Racing into one other robust spot this season. Final 12 months they’d Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez, Zane Smith, and Shane van Gisbergen below contract. They made the enterprise determination so as to add a 3rd constitution, transfer on from Smith, and put SVG in Cup for 2025.
They may now undergo this season and into 2026 with Chastain, Suárez, and SVG on the roster, and Zilisch below contract. As soon as once more, one thing should give. Zilisch shouldn’t be going to spend two years within the Xfinity Sequence, of us. A minimum of, he shouldn’t.
Kevin Harvick talked concerning the risk Connor Zilisch poses to these Trackhouse drivers on his Completely satisfied Hour podcast. It might be an indication of issues to come back for extra than simply these Trackhouse guys, too.
“Effectively, you begin trying round. Let’s simply take Hocevar for instance; whenever you take a look at Justin Haley and Michael McDowell. So, he’s ultra-fast, effectively he’s in the identical vehicles. That instantly places that strain on these two teammates. And also you take a look at the Trackhouse scenario. It instantly places strain on Ross Chastain, Daniel Suárez, and SVG due to the velocity he has on a highway course.
“A brand new man coming in like that, it makes all people have to face up and concentrate. As a result of any individual’s going to lose their seat when it’s all stated and executed. You take a look at a man like Corey Heim, you take a look at a man – there’s continuously strain from any individual new coming in if you happen to don’t elevate your recreation and also you don’t take note of the ovals or the highway programs. You higher block your entire life out for it as a result of if you happen to don’t any individual else goes to however that’s what it takes at this degree.”
Connor Zilisch and Corey Heim and Christian Eckes and Carson Kvapil and Jesse Love – I may go on, of us. Heck, add 16-year-old Brent Crews to that checklist. There’s a new era of not simply expertise however next-level expertise developing. Zilisch may simply be the warning shot.
“Zilisch did a fantastic job, I believe all people’s expectation is that he’s going to be nice, he’s executed nice in the whole lot that he’s executed to this point,” Harvick continued. “The Xfinity Sequence he’s going to study rather a lot this 12 months. The ovals will nonetheless be his greatest problem however in the end on Cup, on the Cup aspect of issues, it’s actually about the way you handle life and the way you handle all of the issues you need to do. To keep up the extent of efficiency that you really want takes a number of work. And the way do you do it each week?”
Kevin Harvick is right. Connor Zilisch is coming for a Cup Sequence experience. He needs to be the youngest Cup Sequence champion ever. Whether or not that occurs stays to be seen. Nonetheless, his abilities communicate for themselves and he’s solely 18 years outdated.
