Rising star Connor Zilisch has been tipped to finish Shane van Gisbergen’s domination on street programs when he steps as much as the NASCAR Cup Sequence full-time subsequent 12 months.
Zilisch, broadly hailed as a generational expertise, presently leads the Xfinity Sequence standings as a rookie after taking six victories within the first 23 races.
The 19-year-old has already made his Cup Sequence debut with Trackhouse Racing alongside van Gisbergen and is believed to be first in line to switch Daniel Suarez subsequent season.
Zilisch and van Gisbergen have additionally gone head-to-head within the Xfinity Sequence this 12 months, with the latter contesting a part-time marketing campaign within the second-tier championship alongside his major Cup programme.
Finally weekend’s Watkins Glen spherical, Zilisch emerged on prime of their duel, albeit after nudging van Gisbergen into the wall whereas combating for the lead with 18 laps remaining.
Van Gisbergen then bounced again from the upset to win the Cup race on Sunday, registering his fourth win of the 12 months.
Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin believes each drivers will maintain a big benefit over the remainder of the Cup discipline on street programs, however expects Zilisch to have the higher hand in a straight battle.
“I believe [van Gisbergen] wins street programs for the foreseeable future. However I imply in straight up gear, Connor’s beating him in Xfinity. So you’ll say that what might be coming is actually a sort of a one-two battle there,” Hamlin stated on his podcast.
“It is probably that these two might be head and shoulders nonetheless above the sphere and sure the one battle you may have is between these two to determine who’s going to win the street course race that day except one thing wacky occurs.”
Zilisch broke his collarbone whereas celebrating his Xfinity success at Watkins Glen in Victory Lane, forcing him to overlook Sunday’s Cup Sequence race.
The Charlotte native remains to be uncertain when he’ll return, with the subsequent Xfinity race scheduled for 22 August at Daytona Worldwide Speedway.
