Connor Zilisch makes feelings clear after dominating Dover race: “I hate that we couldn’t finish the right way”

In a post-race interview shared on social media, Connor Zilisch made a strong statement after his latest Xfinity Series win at Dover Motor Speedway. He showed frustration that the race didn’t reach its natural end, despite dominating most of it. Zilisch led the most laps and won his fourth win of the season but said he wished the finish had come under normal racing conditions.

The video clip was posted by The CW Sports on X. It showed Connor Zilisch speaking to a reporter after winning. In the clip, when asked what more his team could do, Zilisch responded,

“Yeah we’ve been showing it lately. First of all I hate that we couldn’t finish the race, the right way. You know Aric was really fast and was going to give me a run for my money. Props to him for being there and making me work for it.”

He also made sure to credit his team. Zilisch added,

“Still really proud of this JR Motorsports team”

Connor Zilisch led 77 of the 134 laps in Saturday’s rain-shortened BetRivers 200 at Dover. The scheduled 200-lap race was called off early due to weather, handing the win to Zilisch, who had already taken firm control. Despite starting third on the grid, Zilisch stayed at the front nearly the entire race and took the lead for good after the Stage 2 restart.

Aric Almirola and Brandon Jones, both from Joe Gibbs Racing, finished second and third. Zilisch’s teammate and series leader, Justin Allgaier, placed fourth. Jesse Love, Zilisch’s closest friend in the paddock, took fifth. The rest of the top 10 included Ryan Sieg, Taylor Gray, Sheldon Creed, William Sawalich, and Christian Eckes.

This win was Connor Zilisch’s fourth win of the season, the most by any driver in the 2024 Xfinity Series so far. He’s now on an eight-race top-five streak, which includes three wins and three second-place finishes. He is now just 56 points behind Allgaier. Notably, Zilisch has led laps in 15 of the 19 races he’s started this year.

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“I’d say the chances aren’t zero”: Connor Zilisch hints at possible F1 future

In a recent episode of Stacking Pennies, the podcast hosted by NASCAR driver Corey LaJoie, Connor Zilisch spoke candidly about his long-term ambitions. During their conversation, the 18-year-old was asked about the possibility of switching from NASCAR to Formula One.

While Zilisch stressed that the move isn’t part of any immediate plan, he admitted that the odds aren’t nonexistent. Zilisch shared,

“It’s always in the back of my mind. Growing up, that was my dream. I wanted to race F1. I went to Europe when I was a kid, racing go-karts, and it's what I wanted to do. It’s just... when I was younger, I didn’t really have the chance.” [44:05]

Zilisch drives full-time for JR Motorsports in the No. 88 Chevrolet and is already making a name for himself in NASCAR. He’s also a Red Bull athlete. With Red Bull’s known presence in F1 and a new American team—Cadillac—preparing to enter the sport, the idea of Zilisch eventually landing a seat on the global stage isn’t out of reach. He added,

“Now, you know, with an American team getting brought to F1, having connections with Red Bull, being kind of tied in there, I’d say the chances aren’t zero.”

However, Zilisch also admitted that even if the opportunity came up, it would take at least one or two years of racing in lower tiers like Formula 3 to earn enough FIA super license points. This kind of move would require full commitment. F3 is considered a developmental series far below the level at which Zilisch is currently competing in NASCAR.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua