NASCAR great reveals the one big thing Connor Zilisch still needs to learn

Connor Zilisch is the most exciting young driver in NASCAR in 2025, but he is still not quite the finished article yet.

The 19-year-old phenom has earned the nickname ‘Godzilisch’ with a stellar season which includes seven victories in his last eight starts in the Xfinity Series.

Zilisch was again terrific at Portland last weekend, storming to another victory just three weeks on from fracturing his collarbone in that horrific accident on Victory Lane at Watkins Glen.

‘Godzilisch’ has been a class above his Xfinity Series rivals for most of the season, and his talents have had NASCAR analysts and fans alike gushing about his prodigious talent.

NASCAR legend Richard Petty is a huge fan of what he’s seen so far from Zilisch, but the seven-time Cup Series champion does believe there is still some important learning to be done by the precocious teenager.

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What is Connor Zilisch missing?

He was asked about Zilisch during a ‘12 questions’ interview with Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, and his response was illuminating.

“I’m very impressed in what he’s doing, but he’s in the No. 1 car, OK? He’s in winning cars. So he’s expected to win. In the races when he starts first or second, he stays there.”

Petty believes that to be the absolute real deal and the finished article, Zilisch will have to both face and learn to deal with adversity. Rather than just dominating from the front.

“You don’t see him back in 25th, working his way through traffic. So that’s where the real drivers come in. And you know, he’s still young enough that he’s going to learn all that stuff.

“So long as he stays with a winning team, then he’s going to be a winner.”

After his domination at Xfinity level, Zilisch will step up to racing fulltime in the Cup Series in 2026, when we will find out just what he is capable of at the very highest level.

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