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Connor Zilisch: F1 fan experience makes NASCAR look like the 'county fair'

Nick Profile Picby: Nick Geddes04/02/24NickGeddesNews
Connor Zilisch
Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Connor Zilisch has only experienced a single race in NASCAR but has seen enough to make a pretty damning statement against the sport.

Zilisch, one of motorsports’ top prospects, made his debut in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) and said the fan experience is like “going to the county fair.” Zilisch said that the fan experience in NASCAR pales in comparison to that of a Formula 1 race.

“I went to a F1 race in 2020, and that made us [NASCAR] look like we were going to the county fair, almost,” Zilisch said, via Autoweek. “It was crazy how much money goes into every event in F1. I don’t think it’s really possible to do that for us just because… NASCAR isn’t F1. But a lot of the hospitality stuff that they do, making it truly a fan experience, giving the people that are willing to spend that kind of money to come to the races and have that kind of experience, giving them somewhere to go would definitely be helpful.

“I don’t know the logistics of it all. I don’t know if it’d be possible for us to do — and I doubt it would — but that was definitely an eye-opening experience for me.”

Connor Zilisch wants to become the youngest Cup Series champion ever

Zilisch, 17, made a statement at COTA, earning the pole and picking up a P4 finish. The winner of this year’s Rolex 24 and 12 Hours of Sebring in the LMP2 class, Zilisch is set to compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the CARS Tour and Trans Am this season. Additionally, Zilisch will make his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International in September, piloting a JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

Zilisch didn’t grow up a NASCAR fan, he grew up a Formula 1 fan. But now, his goal is to become the youngest Cup Series champion of all time.

“Growing up I always was a road racer and that leads me to want to win the Le Mans 24 Hour, but recently my No. 1 goal has been to become the youngest Cup Series champion. Honestly, I feel like that’s a possible goal,” Zilisch said. “It’s definitely not going to be easy, right, the Cup Series is far from easy but that’s definitely my No. 1 goal.”