Connor Zilisch sets Truck Series track record, wins pole at COTA
In his first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start, Connor Zilisch wins the pole and sets the track record at Circuit of the Americas. 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and now winning the pole in his debut in NASCAR.
At 17 years old, what else could you hope for? Connor Zilisch is out there driving on an entirely different plane right now. There is still a whole race to run tomorrow afternoon, but Zilisch will be out front when the green flag drops.
Having group qualifying in the Truck Series is always a treat. It is not something we get to see often. COTA is such a fun track and we already had fireworks in the practice and qualifying sessions.
During Group B qualifying in the first round, Connor Zilisch laid down a lap of 2:12.08 seconds to set a track record for the Craftsman Truck Series at COTA. He then went into the final round of qualifying and ran a 2:11.98 second lap, becoming the first and only driver to break 2:12.00 on this track in this series.
Zilisch is a wheelman and has been nothing but impressive for all of 2024.
So, what are the expectations now for Connor Zilisch? The biggest problem for new drivers at COTA is the first turn. Hitting that turn and making it out without getting knocked around and falling through the field is tough. Even seasoned racers get kicked around at this track.
By the way, Zilisch is going to have double duty on Saturday. After COTA, he flies to Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida for ARCA East action.
Connor Zilisch comes out swinging at COTA
We knew that Zilisch was going to be fast. He is a driver who has a ton of road course experience already at a young age. Of course, he has shown his talent in IMSA at Daytona and Sebring already this year. He has impressed in the Mazda MX-5 Cup as well.
However, it is NASCAR where Zilisch will make his name. He is a Trackhouse Racing development driver and is just starting his path to the Cup Series. This year, Zilisch will make starts in the Truck Series and Xfinity Series, driving for Spire and JR Motorsports.
Justin Marks knew what he was doing when he signed this kid. Now, he is going to watch his well-made decision pay off slowly over time. You hate to put so much pressure on a kid, but when he goes out and does what he has done in the last two months alone, what else can you do but put expectations on him?
America has waited a long time for a truly great driver to pop up. A prodigy. Connor Zilisch is just as good if not better than his European counterparts training to become F1 drivers. He just happens to be more than happy chasing his NASCAR dreams right now.