Era Motorsport has confirmed Connor Zilisch as the final driver of the No. 18 Oreca 07 LMP2 car for the 2024 IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship.
Starting next month at the 62nd Rolex 24 at Daytona, Zilisch will be joining previously announced drivers Ryan Dalziel and Dwight Merriman for the Michelin Endurance Cup, as well as Indy NXT Champion Christian Rasmussen for Daytona.
“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!”
At just 17-years-old, this will be Zilisch’s first time competing in the LMP2 class, but far from his first time behind the wheel on a race track.
A life-long racer, Zilisch started his career at age four behind the wheel of a kart. After moving up through the ranks as he grew, he became a Karting world champion in 2017 at the Rok International Championship in Italy, and followed it up by becoming the first American to win the FIA Karting Academy Championship in 2020.
In 2021 at the age of 14, Zilisch began his race car career by setting seven track records at six different tracks that year, and winning the 2021 MX-5 Cup Scholarship, followed by 2022 MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year.
After signing on as a Chevrolet Junior Development Driver in 2022, Zilisch finished fourth overall in the 2023 Trans Am Championship Presented by Pirelli TA2 class, with five wins during the season.
“I’m super happy to have a promising up-and-comer like Zilisch in the car,” said team-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!”
With just 35 days until the Rolex 24, and even less until the Roar Before the 24, stay tuned to Era Motorsport’s social channels as we prepare for our biggest year yet!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, Tik Tok, YouTube and Threads for updates both during and between events.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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