Connor Zilisch stood on pit road under the Phoenix lights, helmet off, eyes red but steady.
The 18-year-old phenom had just watched his best friend and biggest rival Jesse Love celebrate a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship that could have just as easily been his.
“Yeah, I felt like we were never the best car,” Zilisch said, trying to make sense of it all. “I got the lead from second both times. We led for 10, 15 laps, but every run we just tanked. After 20 laps, I just couldn’t hang on.”
For most of 2025, Zilisch was the best car. Ten victories. The most top fives, the most poles, the most laps led. A rookie who stormed into NASCAR like a driver ten years older.
But at Phoenix, when it mattered most, the magic finally faded.
“You work so hard for 38 weeks,” he said. “Yeah, coming up short sucks.”
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Zilisch didn’t deflect or make excuses. He didn’t question the format or luck or timing. He just owned it, the heartbreak and the pride side by side.
“We have nothing to hang our heads about,” he said. “We were the best car for two-thirds of the year. We dominated until these last three races. It cost us a championship, so we’ll keep our heads high.”
That mix of disappointment and perspective defined his tone all night. He was gracious, reflective, and in flashes still the same fiery competitor who had willed JR Motorsports to one of its best seasons ever.
But when someone asked if it helped that Love, his best friend in the garage, was the one who beat him, Zilisch didn’t even hesitate.
“No, it doesn’t make it feel any better,” he said with a small smile. “Good for Jesse, I’m really happy for him. Yeah, no.”
It is that honesty that makes Zilisch such a compelling figure in NASCAR’s next generation. There is no empty optimism, just a kid grappling with losing something he chased all year.
He talked about what this season taught him, how to separate racing from friendship, and how to stay grounded in a world where everyone is watching.
“We travel with each other 38 weeks a year,” he said. “If you don’t have friends, you’re going to become miserable. I like to be friends with everybody, but at times it can be hard to put those two together. You have to separate them, professional life and friendships. It’s tough to balance, but I feel like Jesse and I have done a good job at that.”
There was also perspective, the kind that doesn’t come easy when you have just lost a championship.
“I told my guys, when we walked in here Thursday, we’re going to give our 100 percent best effort,” Zilisch said. “No matter what the result is, as long as we know we did our best, we’ll walk out of this place proud. We did that this week. Although it sucks, I’m proud of my team and what we accomplished.”
He smiled again when asked about the battle with Love. “Yeah, it will be core memories for both of us,” he said. “Wish it was the other way around. I’m happy for him, he works really hard and deserves it. It’s cool to see your best friend win. I came here to win, so it still doesn’t make it feel any better.”
Zilisch will return to JR Motorsports next season, running select races while preparing for his next move toward the Cup Series full-time with Trackhouse.
He already has his eyes set forward. “Yeah, I’m excited for next year,” he said. “Man, I don’t have a NASCAR championship, so that’s something I definitely got to get in the future. Hopefully that will be a Cup championship one day. I’ll look back on this as a little bump in the road.”
Then he paused, reflecting on everything that happened in 2025.
“This year’s been a dream,” he said. “My teammates, my team, every crew member, everybody back at the shop, people working upstairs, everybody treated me like family. I’ll remember this year forever. I just wish I could have gone out on top and left them with a championship.”
He did not leave with a trophy, but he left with something that might last longer. The experience, the lessons, and the kind of heartbreak that can either crush a driver or turn him into a champion.
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