Connor Zilisch dominates ARCA Menards Series race at Watkins Glen

What can you say about Connor Zilisch that hasn’t been said already? A dominating performance at Watkins Glen tonight. With the win, Zilisch has five checkered flags in the NASCAR development series.

A good reminder that this race featured a NASCAR Xfinity Series race winner and regular, Brandon Jones. It didn’t matter. William Sawalich in a Joe Gibbs Racing car? Didn’t matter.

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When it comes to road courses, Connor Zilisch is head and shoulders above his peers.

MAKE THAT 5️⃣ ARCA NATIONAL WINS FOR @ConnorZilisch!!!!!!

HE WINS WATKINS GLEN! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/vcyV17l75y

— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) September 13, 2024

What a performance for his first race as a Red Bull athlete. Connor Zilisch announced that new sponsor right before the ARCA Menards Series race tonight. It is clear that people are paying attention to the teenage phenom.

There are races when a big lead is boring. Today was not one of those. It was a race that was dominated by a generational talent. With all of the hype around Zilisch, it is hard to find comparable drivers from the past.

In terms of hype and expectations, maybe Joey Logano is the only comparison that can be made at this point. Logano is now a two-time Cup Series champion and one of the most recognizable figures in the sport. So, not a bad comparison by any means.

Connor Zilisch gives unreal performance at The Glen

Last year, Connor Zilisch led 34 laps of 41 total. He was leading the race with a swaybar dragging the ground for multiple laps. Then Jesse Love caught up, passed him, and won the race. It was a disappointing end to a fantastic debut in the ARCA Menards Series.

Zilisch came into this weekend with one goal in mind. He missed out on that win last year, and he wasn’t going to do it again this year. By the midrace break, Zilisch was up by 15 seconds on William Sawalich, and after that, it was even worse.

Again, Brandon Jones was in this race. That is an eight-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series, including the 2022 Watkins Glen race. He is also a five-time race winner in the Xfinity Series. Today, Zilisch gapped him by 15+ seconds at the end of the race.

If you weren’t already aware, Connor Zilisch is the real deal. Generational as a term gets thrown around too much in all sports. You can’t have multiple generational talents, at least, it is very rare. For Zilisch, that title fits. Until proven otherwise, he is the next big thing in stock car racing.