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Connor Zilisch joins Spire Motorsports for Roval Truck Series race

JHby: Jonathan Howard09/25/25Jondean25
Connor Zilisch
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In over a week’s time, Connor Zilisch will attempt double duty once again in NASCAR. He just added the Truck Series Roval race. Of course, that is a packed weekend of action with all three national series taking on playoff races at the oval, road course hybrid.

Zilisch has never raced at the Roval. However, his elite road course talents, paired with his elite all-around talents on ovals, will probably make him a favorite for both races he enters. That’s why Spire Motorsports is putting him in the No. 7 Chevy Silverado.

The Roval will be very interesting. Having the Truck Series race at this configuration will be unique, and the battle between Zilisch and Corey Heim should be a must-watch.

Of course, Zilisch is mostly focused on racing for the Xfinity Series championship. He will race this weekend at Kansas, and then the Roval will be an elimination race for the Xfinity field.

However, it is notable that Connor Zilisch does not have a Truck Series win. In these races, something almost always goes wrong for him. On top of that, the Truck Series wasn’t really racing road courses last season like it is this season. But now the opportunity has come once again to race in the series and on a road course.

Zilisch raced at Watkins Glen earlier this season for Niece Motorsports. He finished P8 in that race. Corey Heim won, of course. In a Spire truck this time around, what can he do?

2026 season coming into view for Connor Zilisch

Earlier this week, Connor Zilisch’s Cup Series crew chief was announced for 2026. Zilisch will face his rookie season alongside Randall Burnett. Burnett will depart from RCR at the end of this season after spending the last three years with Kyle Busch.

The move is interesting. Clearly, Burnett and Busch have not been clicking. However, there is a belief that Burnett can work alongside a young driver in the Next Gen car. His work with Tyler Reddick resulted in a breakthrough season for Reddick at the time and led to him making the move to 23XI Racing, ultimately.

Can the crew chief find the same success with Zilisch? That remains to be seen, but there is optimism from Trackhouse and others in the industry that it could work out well. Clearly, Zilisch is a major talent, and the hype will be immense. Many will expect him to win a road course race. How he handles those expectations, and if he lives up to them, will depend on how well he works with Burnett.

Trackhouse Racing has a lot invested in Connor Zilisch. Truthfully, the sport of NASCAR has a lot riding on the 19-year-old’s shoulders. That’s a lot to handle at that age, but so far, it appears that he is the man for the job.