Connor Zilisch has swiftly emerged as the new face of JR Motorsports, turning heads with a breakout season in Xfinity that includes multiple wins and top-tier consistency. At just 18, he has become a cornerstone of the team’s program, electrifying fans and sponsors alike and thoroughly intensifying chatter about a cup series debut.
That dialogue reached a new high when Dale Junior compared Connor to legends like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, placing the young phenom in rare company and violating the whispers that his leap to Cup might happen sooner rather than later. And now, co-owner of JR Motorsports, Kelley Earnhardt, has also weighed in on this comparison.
Kelley Earnhardt opens up about Connor Zilisch’s behavior outside of racing
After yet another win in the Xfinity Series at Indianapolis, Dale Earnhardt Jr. offered unfeigned praise: “The only thing I think it’s close to is probably Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson. He might be even more rare than that… if you spend time around him, you would realize how mature he is, and I think a lot of parents would be amazed at his maturity at 18 years old.”
That comparison to two of NASCAR’s most iconic champions underscores not only Zilisch’s racecraft but also his poise, media savviness, and professionalism beyond his years.
In his first full season with JR Motorsports, Connor has been sensational. Through 20 races, he has collected five wins, including at COTA, Pocono, Sonoma, Dover, and Indianapolis, leading for 25 laps in total, and has racked up 12 top tens and 10 top fives in his rookie campaign. His average starting and finishing positions of 7.4 and 10.2, respectively, reflect remarkable consistency.
His win at Indianapolis is the icing on the cake, earning JRM’s 100th Xfinity victory and marking his third consecutive win this month alone.
Kelley Earnhardt echoed Dale Junior’s enthusiasm on NASCAR Live. She went on to say, ” Yeah, Connor’s being just really fun. It’s always nice when you get someone with such talent, and then you also get a pretty much a well-rounded, you know, human being. He’s really good with his partners; he’s really good with the fans. You know, he’s very polished at his young, 18 years old, and you don’t see that very often; you don’t have that very often. And so, you know, he’s not somebody that we’ve had to bring into the office and have a talk or two with or anything like that.”
Zilisch’s next step may lie sooner. Trackhouse Racing has already signed in for Cup starts, including races at COTA and Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600, and he later filled in at Atlanta, where he earned a career-best 11th place. With sponsorship from Red Bull and JRM’s full support, his Cup debut path is taking shape, cementing the expectation that Connor won’t linger in Xfinity much longer.
And then came the ultimate confirmation: she said, “You know, he just really has it together. And from a talent perspective, you know, they say, you know, these talents come around like we saw my dad or we had. And then things like that, and he’s definitely, I feel like, one of those, you know, he’s gonna do Jeff Gordon great things and some big stuff and he’s not gonna need any extra time in the Xfinity Series, unfortunately, to grow that talent. But he’s done so much before him, so it’s superb. He’s just really an awesome kid.” Despite admitting to JRM failures, she has full faith in Connor’s extremely promising Cup career future. However, the question now arises if JRM as an organization will move to Cup or not. And Kelley has made her reservations about it.
Kelley drops the truth on JRM’s move from Xfinity to Cup Series
For years, fans and insiders alike have speculated about whether JR motorsports would eventually make the leap to the NASCAR cup series. The question has lingered around Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt’s successful Xfinity operation, especially as its drivers have gone to make names for themselves at the top level. But according to Kelley, the path to the Cup isn’t as straightforward as fans might imagine, and right now, it’s less about desire and more about practicality.
Speaking to NASCAR Live, Kelley explained that the biggest hurdle is the staggering cost of entry. Series charters are the key to fielding a competitive, guaranteed start team at trading at record prices. Pointing out that the market moved fast when the charter last exchanged hands, and now only a handful of options remain. Add in a pending lawsuit, shifting rules for open cars and uncertainty around assets like the lingering Rick Ware charter, and the business picture becomes even murkier.
Beyond the finances, there is the personal factor. Kelley is 53, and Junior isn’t far behind, and their focus isn’t just on chasing new ventures; it is about balancing family, legacy and sustainability. She admitted saying, “Neither Dale nor I really feel solid about the opportunities that have been in front of him. We’ve, you know, I’ve had conversations this year with people and opportunities, and they come up and they kind of come and go — that’s just not the right situation. You know, we love our relationship with Chevrolet. We would not want to do anything that would really hurt that relationship. They’ve been a part of all of our wins, and it’s just been a part of our life since, you know, my dad’s days, and our partners, and we got a great thing going with JRM.”
For now, the priority remains the Xfinity program that delivered them hundreds of wins and developed countless talents for the sport. “So you know, if the Xfinity Series can stay healthy and we can provide the opportunity that we’ve been providing for. 100 wins and to keep on doing that and I don’t see a lot of, it’s really hard to change that business model. It’s not like we’re new coming into this, you know, So it’s just still all up in the air, nothing on the horizon that’s gonna send us in that direction right now. ” Until the right deal appears, one that aligns financially, competitively and personally, JR motorsports’ Cup dreams will stay up in the air, while their Xfinity dominance continues.
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