“The team has outdone my expectations”: Connor Zilisch gets real on his dominant season as he eyes NASCAR Xfinity glory 

JR Motorsports driver Connor Zilisch recently shared his thoughts on how his No. 88 Chevy team has "outdone" his expectations in his rookie NASCAR Xfinity season. The 19-year-old is set to run for his maiden Championship title this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

With a storied background of running sports cars on road courses, Zilisch was poised to dominate the left and right turn races in NASCAR's second-tier series. However, the Red Bull athlete has made a mark on the traditional ovals, along with the road course racing events.

Reflecting on the same and his journey so far, running full-time in the Xfinity Series, Zilisch spoke about racing his JRM teammates Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil for the coveted trophy. He said, via JRMRacing:

"It’s really cool to be in the Championship 4 with my teammates Justin and Carson. It’s going to be a crazy busy weekend in Phoenix but I’m glad to be doing it alongside them. We just need to execute the day and make the most of it on Saturday. We’ve made sure that everything we do is calculated and are accounting for any and all situations to be prepared for anything."

Furthermore, Zilisch candidly shared his conversation with his crew chief before the start of the season and the No. 88 team's expectations for the year. He added:

"Before the season started my crew chief Mardy Lindley had me fill out a points and win prediction. I had us winning four races so to sit here today with 10 wins and winning the regular season championship plus locking into the Championship 4 early, this No. 88 team has certainly outdone my expectations."

"I’ve learned so much this season at JRM on a professional and personal level that I’ll carry with me into the Cup Series, added Connor Zilisch.

As the young sensation Zilisch eyes championship glory this Saturday (November 1), he will also bid adieu to his Xfinity season and climb the ladder for his debut Cup season with Trackhouse Racing next year.

---

Three-time NASCAR Champion backs Connor Zilisch for Cup Series success

Connor Zilisch - NASCAR Xfinity Series Blue Cross NC 250 - Qualifying - Source: Getty

Joey Logano exuded strong confidence in Connor Zilisch as the latter is set to jump to NASCAR's premier level. In a conversation on the Rubbin is Racing podcast, the Team Penske star expected Zilisch to be the future Cup champion.

He said:

"He'll [Connor Zilisch] be a champion someday. When that is, I'm not sure. He's a very well-rounded race car driver from track's perspective... Is he coming in better than anyone I've seen in my career? Yeah."

After closing out on his Xfinity season, Connor Zilisch will join Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen under the Trackhouse banner for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.