Coming off his first Xfinity Series win at Watkins Glen last Saturday. The eyes of the NASCAR world were upon the young 18-year-old driver. Could he master the concrete, half-mile track in his first attempt? Could he win the ARCA race and the championship? Could he win the Truck Series race too? Expectations were high for this young man who has blown expectations out of the water all season.
Connor certainly rose to meet those expectations. He took the pole in both races, again this was his first time at Bristol Motor Speedway, and the third time in a truck. He was certainly the favorite to win the championship and the ARCA race. He needed to finish ninth or better, regardless of where championship rival William Sawalich finished. But the ARCA Menard’s series had to rear its ugly head.
Connor has never raced Bristol before today.
He just won pole for BOTH races. https://t.co/0RTmlxS7fh pic.twitter.com/oug0nfqx21
— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) September 19, 2024
Connor Zilisch: Victim of ARCA Chaos
Connor took the green flag in the Bush’s Bean 200 with his championship rival hot on his tail. The two battled until Sawalich took the lead on lap 40. The #9 of Logan Misuraca and the #22 of Amber Balcaen were involved in an early incident on lap 20. The aggression between the two drivers hit a breaking point on lap 64, when Balcaen self-cleared herself, wrecking Misuraca. The #9 hit the outside wall and Misuraca rolled down the track, collecting the right side of Zilisch in the #28 Chevrolet.
Hear from @ConnorZilisch following his crash Thursday evening during the Bush's Beans 200.
📺 @FS1 | @ItsBristolBaby pic.twitter.com/Fq3UifAVNp
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 19, 2024
The entire right side of Zilisch’s car was destroyed, with the body coming off the body mounts and the wheel coming off. His day was done before the race had even reached halfway. He would surrender the championship and race win to William Sawalich. A crushing defeat for Zilisch but his Thursday was just beginning.
Trucks at Bristol humbles Zilisch:
Starting on the pole, many had high expectations for Zilisch, even after the ARCA race’s disappointing conclusion. Connor took the green flag, with Truck Series stars Corey Heim and Rajah Caruth in tow. Zilisch would lead 41 laps before Heim would take over the lead. Zilisch would finish fourth in the stage. He would maintain his position around the top five, battling regulars like Nick Sanchez and Layne Riggs.
He would spin from contact with the #2 of Sanchez. Sanchez apologized for the contact, saying it was a mistake on his part. Connor would go a lap down pitting for new tires. He would get his lap back when the #45 truck wrecked on lap 187. The rookie would finish 19th, certainly a disappointing day but a learning experience.
Overall, I don’t think these two finishes can reflect any on Zilisch. He has shown his skill in a higher-tier series, Xfinity. ARCA and Trucks are extremely chaotic and that is why you will see Zilisch skip going full-time in Trucks for Xfinity in 2025. While an ARCA Championship would have added to his extremely big resume of experience, it is not necessary.
The next race on the schedule for Zilisch is the Kansas Xfinity race. Let’s see how he does on an oval, in a series where the drivers have a lot more talent and respect for equipment.
