By Noah Poser, Guest Writer
In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for racers to come from other series and try their hand at NASCAR. Whether it was Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, or most recently, Shane van Gisbergen, NASCAR has proven to be an outlet for the world’s best and most experienced drivers transitioning to oval racing.
Now, younger racers are starting to follow this blueprint and Connor Zilisch, 18, is one of the drivers helping usher NASCAR’s development model into a new era. Zilisch, who just signed a deal to drive full-time in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports in 2025, is a Trackhouse Racing development driver and 24 Hours of Daytona class winner. Zilisch, along with a pair of talented Trans Am prospects, are among those challenging the sport’s oval-or-bust image, as well as the idea that the best way to reach NASCAR’s top level is exclusively through the dirt and oval ranks.
“I feel kids coming from go-karts are always one step ahead of kids coming from oval racing, but for what reason, I’m not sure,” said Zilisch, who started karting at 5 years old. “There’s so much talent in road racing that people are just now finding out about, with me and some of the other kids coming up.”
One of those kids who has recently arrived in NASCAR is Thomas Annunziata.
Annunziata, a 19-year-old from New Jersey, competes full-time in Trans Am, a series currently serving as a hotbed for numerous NASCAR prospects. He first appeared on the scene in February in his ARCA debut at Daytona, where he impressed many by finishing second driving for Ferrier McClure Racing.
Fast forward to June, and the racer who got his start in karting at 10 years old was making his Xfinity Series debut for JD Motorsports at Sonoma. He finished 34th after a transmission issue ended his day early, but the opportunity was confirmation he could get to this level despite an unorthodox path.
“I grew up with Lightning McQueen and Days of Thunder,” Annunziata said. “I wanted to race in NASCAR. It’s always where I pictured myself. I tried open-wheel racing, I tried sportscar racing and now I’m in NASCAR. It’s surreal just being here.”
The sentiment is shared by one of Annunziata’s Trans Am competitors.
Connor Mosack is slightly older than Zilisch and Annunziata, but his development arc has proven to be similar in his short time in NASCAR.
A familiar name to some after running 24 races for Sam Hunt Racing in the Xfinity Series last season, the 25-year-old has had fewer opportunities thus far in 2024, with five Truck Series and a single Xfinity Series start (a sixth-place finish at the Chicago Street Course). To account for the loss of seat time, he is racing a full Trans Am schedule this year.
Like Zilisch and Annunziata, Mosack came to NASCAR with a reputation as a strong road racer who needs work on ovals. What some may not know is his road racing background is preceded by years of oval racing.
“I actually started in a Legends car when I was 18,” Mosack said. “So, I didn’t love (the road course ringer label) initially, because I want to be competitive on ovals too. But coming in and having more speed and success on road courses stood out, where the ovals were a little bit harder.”
Despite the transition to Trans Am, Mosack, like Annunziata, has always been set on NASCAR.
“Starting so late, you’re put on a path, and you don’t have a lot of time to change your discipline,” Mosack said. “I wouldn’t want to change anything anyway. NASCAR is where I want to be and I’m happy to see the mounting road courses on the schedule.
“But these Trucks and Xfinity cars and oval racing is just as fun to me (as road racing) and I enjoy the challenge of it.”
Zilisch wasn’t as confident his journey would lead him to this point but said coming from a road racing background has benefitted him greatly as he prepares to make his Xfinity Series debut in September.
“You’re getting put in many different positions and having to think on the fly and that’s the biggest thing about road racing that has allowed me to have so much success when I came to ovals,” Zilisch said. “I don’t feel anything is new to me. It’s just different positions I’ve been in, but in a different way than I may have been used to in the past. But (road and oval racing) aren’t as different as people think.”