Connor Zilisch poised for Xfinity Series success with JR Motorsports

If there was ever a match made in NASCAR heaven, this is it.

At 18-years-old, Connor Zilisch — one of the most heralded NASCAR prospects in recent history — has signed with Dale Earnhardt Jr. to driver Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for 2025.

Zilisch, who will make his second career Truck Series start on Saturday at Richmond, is slated to make four Xfinity Series starts for JR Motorsports in 2024, with his NXS debut taking place at Watkins Glen on Sept. 14. Zilisch will also pilot the No. 88 car at Kansas, Homestead and Phoenix before taking the reins as a full-time competitor in 2025.

Zilisch has already torn up the ARCA Menards Series in 2024, winning four of his six starts and finishing inside the top-five in all of them. He also boasts victories in both the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, and his sports car background could be very beneficial in the modern-day NASCAR Cup Series, where the Next-Gen car is more similar to a sports car than its ever been.

The best news for Zilisch? The four starts he has scheduled with the team this season will give him a chance to familiarize himself with both the Xfinity Series car and his team, gaining chemistry that will be crucial if he wants to make a championship run next season.

The signing of Zilisch further solidifies JRM as a top destination in the Xfinity Series. While the team has slightly struggled this year — relative to past performance, at least — it's still a top-three team in the series, and when paired with Zilisch, JRM has an excellent opportunity to earn its first Xfinity Series championship since 2018.

Big things will certainly be expected of Zilisch in 2025, but don't be surprised if he far exceeds those expectations — it seems like punching above his weight is all he's done since he started his journey through the ranks of NASCAR.