Connor Zilisch, just 18 years old, is already making waves in international motorsports. He’s a class winner in the 2024 Daytona 24 Hours and 12 Hours of Sebring, both earned in his first starts at the tracks, and even boasts an Xfinity Series win at Watkins Glen despite not having a fulltime ride last year. In 2025, the up-and-coming driver will take a shot at the Cup Series for the first time, where he’ll drive the No. 87 NASCAR Chevy fielded by Trackhouse Racing.
Zilisch will be the youngest driver to make a Cup Series start since Joey Logano did the same in 2009. Trackhouse is fielding the No. 87 NASCAR Chevy for him at Circuit of the Americas in Texas, which is scheduled for March 2nd, 2025. Red Bull will be returning to NASCAR for the first time after exiting the sport upon conclusion of the 2011, decorating not only Zilisch’s race car, but the No. 88 Chevy of Shane Van Gisbergen, also fielded by Trackhouse.
“I was surprised when they presented me my Red Bull helmet and hat last summer and doubly surprised when they told me I would make my Cup debut in the No. 87 with a Red Bull paint scheme,” Zilisch said in a team release. “Red Bull is going to bring a lot more eyes to NASCAR and I think everyone will win when that happens.”
I never thought I’d get the opportunity to race in the @NASCAR Cup Series, let alone debut at 18 years old. I’m so fortunate to be surrounded by great companies like @redbull and @TeamTrackhouse. COTA is only 38 days away, let’s go!👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/CDeihIJIG8
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) January 23, 2025
In the more immediate future, Connor Zilisch will attempt to defend his 2024 Daytona 24 Hours win in a Corvette Z06 GT3.R race car. TF Sport and Trackhouse teamed up to make the race happen, tapping Zilisch, Van Gisbergen, Scott McLaughlin, and Corvette Racing factory driver Ben Keating to share the No. 91 Vette. That Corvette will feature a red, white, and blue paint scheme with WeatherTech sponsorship.
As a reminder, the NASCAR Chevy Cup Series race cars no longer feature Camaro branding. Though they retain their Camaro body styles, the race cars now say “Chevrolet” across the rear fascia, eliminating the Camaro script. Because the Camaro was in production as a street-legal vehicle at the time of its application as a NASCAR competitor, it remains legal for competition despite the fact that its roadgoing counterpart is dead.
Comments
What kind of Chevy is that again?
Does it matter he win, wins, winner, again and again.
Lucky fella!
So will next year be the same, allowing the un named Chevy to race again even though it hasn’t been manufactured for 2 yrs. This never happened back in the day.