As the eyes of the nation rest upon dozens of college football fields on Saturday, the serene Finger Lakes of New York will be set to play host to one of the most anticipated NASCAR Xfinity Series debuts in a long time.
18-year-old Connor Zilisch is scheduled to make his Xfinity Series debut with Jr. Motorsports on Saturday at Watkins Glen International, giving fans a sneak peek of what’s to come in a full-time campaign in 2025.
Zilisch has been highly touted as one of the top prospects in NASCAR and Saturday’s race will be perhaps his biggest test yet in a stock-car. The rising star is already an accomplished road racer, boasting wins the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. He also turned heads in his NASCAR Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas in March.
In fact, Zilisch rewrote the record book in his Truck Series debut, shattering the track record in qualifying. Only a mistake entering the first corner of the race cost him the win, but he still clawed back from the miscue to earn a fourth-place finish.
With another Truck Series race at Richmond and a litany of ARCA starts under his belt, Zilisch is more prepared for a stock-car race than he ever has been before and he’ll have the best equipment in the Xfinity Series under him this weekend.
Saturday’s race will be a big one in the grand scheme of the Xfinity Series season, but if you need another reason to turn the channel to USA Network, NASCAR’s most exciting prospect fits the bill. Zilisch alone is worth the price of admission and if his Truck Series debut was any indication, the tenured Xfinity Series field may need to watch their collective back.
Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions will be important for Zilisch as he learns how to drive the Xfinity Series car, but that’s where his versatility and adaptability come into play. As long as he has laps under his belt when the green flag waves, he has as good a shot as anyone in the field to win.
Zilisch will be looking to become the first driver since Ty Gibbs in 2021 to win in their first career Xfinity Series start.
The Shriners Children’s 200 at Watkins Glen will go green shortly after 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, with coverage on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.