The 18-year-old North Carolina native made his formal entrée into big-time NASCAR racing with a major statement by holding off the field on a pair of thrilling overtime restarts at the historic 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International road course to claim his first career Xfinity Series victory in his first career start. The Connor Zilisch win has undoubtedly generated buzz within the motorsport community, cementing his reputation as a rising star. #ConnorZilischWin
The Mission 200 at The Glen finished under caution with Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Sheldon Creed finishing runner-up — for a record 12th time — emerging from a three-wide battle for second place with a multicar accident farther behind in the field bringing out the yellow flag that ultimately froze the field.
“I worked so hard for this one,” a smiling Zilisch said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I‘ve been working for this one for months and it‘s so special to me, man. I don‘t even have words.
“I don‘t know how I saved enough, I sputtered up the hill,” he said of having to save fuel in the closing laps which included a restart with two laps remaining and then two more in overtime.
“With two to go, I didn‘t think I was going to make it back to the line even. I‘m going to enjoy this one for a while. I can‘t say enough about JR Motorsports and everyone who supports me.”
Zilisch, who also won in the LMP2 class in this year’s IMSA Rolex 24 at Daytona, is the seventh driver to win in his first Xfinity Series start — a list that includes the legendary Dale Earnhardt and current Cup Series standout Ty Gibbs. And he becomes the second youngest race winner– to Joey Logano — in series history at 18 years, one month and 23 days.
The young driver led 45 of 90 laps after securing his first Xfinity Series pole position on Saturday. On Friday, he won his fifth ARCA Menards Series race. It marked his fifth victory in just seven starts. #ConnorZilischWin
Connor Zilisch’s Win Highlights a Promising Future in NASCAR
Moreover, Zilisch’s strategic moves throughout the race highlighted his racing acumen. Every turn and decision brought him closer to the win, proving that he is a driver to watch. As the race unfolded, Zilisch’s determination became evident, leading to a thrilling conclusion. Connor Zilisch win at Watkins Glen is more than a victory; it is the beginning of an exciting journey in NASCAR. His ability to handle the pressure of a debut race was outstanding. His future now holds even greater potential.
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