Rising NASCAR star keen on Supercars start

Rising NASCAR star Connor Zilisch is keen to tackle Supercars in the future, despite missing out on a 2025 start.

The 19-year-old American has taken NASCAR by storm this year, winning 10 Xfinity races and sealing a full-time seat with Trackhouse Racing in 2026.

The teenager will be teammate to Shane van Gisbergen, three-time Supercars champion, next season in the Cup Series.

Zilisch was in line to race a Chevrolet Camaro at the bp Adelaide Grand Final in November, joining Team Penske NASCAR racer Austin Cindric, who will steer a Tickford Racing Ford Mustang.

Zilisch’s Supercars debut will have to wait until at least next year, however, with plans to race next month parked.

Speaking to NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck, Zilisch said he wants to make a deal happen, and that this year’s plans were affected by Triple Eight Race Engineering’s move to Ford.

Zilisch is aligned with Chevrolet and General Motors, racing Camaros in NASCAR, and also making a Daytona 24 Hours cameo in a Corvette alongside van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin.

“It won’t happen this year, but hopefully down the road, I want to make something like that happen,” Zilisch said, when asked about Supercars.

“I always enjoy racing against the best in a different country and seeing what they have to offer.”

2021 Cup champion Kyle Larson was also set to race in Adelaide, saying in April an Adelaide start was a “bucket list” opportunity.

There will be an Xfinity racer on the grid in Adelaide, albeit in Super2, with Richard Childress Racing driver Jesse Love set to run a fourth entry for Terry Wyhoon’s Image Racing.

20-year-old Love has sampled an Image Racing VF Commodore that is based in the United States.

The Repco Supercars Finals Series commences at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, on October 24-26. International fans can watch on SuperView.