17-year-old Connor Zilisch will make his IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship debut next month in the 62nd Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and will run the five-race Michelin Endurance Cup with LMP2 team Era Motorsport.
Zilisch completes Era Motorsport’s four-driver lineup for Daytona, joining the returning, full-season pair of Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel, and reigning Indy NXT Champion, Christian Rasmussen, who will return for a one-off appearance at the Rolex 24.
“I’m super excited to get going in 2024 with Era Motorsport for my first season in endurance racing,” said Zilisch, “but I have a lot to learn as this is a very different style of racing than I’m used to.
“Thankfully, I have a great team around me and very experienced teammates in Ryan, Dwight, and Christian that I will be able to learn from throughout the season!”
Zilisch broke out in road racing shortly after his 15th birthday in 2021. He won that year’s MX-5 Cup Scholarship and took a sensational pole position on his debut in the SCCA Trans-Am Series TA2 class. In 2022, he finished as the runner-up in the ultra-competitive MX-5 Cup and was named Rookie of the Year.
That same year, he signed on as a Chevrolet NASCAR development driver and began branching out into stock car racing, competing part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and CARS Tour Late Model Stock series in 2023.
Zilisch finished fourth in the Trans-Am TA2 standings last year, recording five wins.
“I’m super happy to have a promising up-and-comer like Zilisch in the car,” said Era Motorsport owner Kyle Tilley. “Even after just one test it’s clear that he’s going to be one of the best drivers in the field any time he hits the track. I think with him joining our already strong line-up we have great odds at a strong performance not just at Daytona, but for the overall championship!”
Merriman and Dalziel led Era Motorsport to two podiums last season, finishing fifth in the LMP2 Drivers’ standings while the team ranked sixth in the Teams’ championship.
Feature image courtesy of Era Motorsport
