Zilisch signs development program deal with Trackhouse

Trackhouse Racing has signed 17-year-old Connor Zilisch to a multiyear agreement that will see him compete in multiple racing series this year.

Zilisch, in a developmental program for 2024 and 2025, will be fielded in select CARS Tour, ARCA, Trans Am and IMSA events, as well as NASCAR national series events in the Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series. Additionally, Zilisch will be entered in the Rolex 24 At Daytona later this month.

“I have watched Connor grow from a youngster racing go-karts at the Trackhouse Motorplex to an up-close seat as he beat all of us in the Trans-Am race at VIR (Virginia International Raceway) a few months ago,” said Trackhouse boss Justin Marks. “This kid is an amazing talent who we wanted to be a part of the Trackhouse family. We are going to go slow with Connor and make sure he’s fully prepared as he advances in what we believe will be a long racing career.”

Marks has competed against Zilisch in the Trans Am Series. Last year, Zilisch won five of the 13 Trans Am Series TA2 events he entered. He also competed and won in the Trans Am Series TA class, becoming the youngest driver to be victories in his first career start in the class and the first to win races in two different classes in a single weekend (Oct. 7 at VIR).

Zilisch turns 18 in July, which will make him eligible to compete on bigger racetracks in NASCAR. From a young age, Zilisch began putting together a diverse racing résumé that includes kart racing in Europe before he was a teenager, the top prize in the Mazda MX-5 Cup scholarship, a CARS Pro Late Model Tour victory and a second-place finish in his ARCA Menards Series debut at Watkins Glen.

“This is a dream come true,” Zilisch said. “I can't thank Justin and everyone at Trackhouse Racing enough for giving me this opportunity. It has been a pleasure to spend the last two years racing with Chevrolet and I am thrilled to extend that relationship. I have a lot to learn, but I don’t think there is a better place for me to learn than with Trackhouse Racing.”