- Denny Hamlin believes Zilisch is ahead of SVG on ovals
- Zilisch won at Pocono; SVG still adapting to full-time Cup racing
- Hamlin praises SVG’s progress but sees faster growth in Zilisch
Denny Hamlin has praised 18-year-old Connor Zilisch’s rapid rise through NASCAR, suggesting the Xfinity Series driver may have been more prepared for Cup Series racing than Shane van Gisbergen was at the start of 2025.
Speaking on his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin said: “I would say that he’s [Connor Zilisch] more prepared for the Cup than SVG [Shane van Gisbergen] was entering this season.”
Zilisch secured his first oval victory in the Xfinity Series at Pocono this past weekend — something van Gisbergen was unable to do during his own full-time season in the series, with his wins coming on road courses at Portland, Sonoma, and Chicago.
Both drivers have strong road course backgrounds, but Zilisch’s early results on ovals have stood out. While SVG continues adjusting to oval racing after years in Supercars, Zilisch has shown the ability to adapt quickly across both disciplines.
“Winning an oval race in Xfinity and winning an oval race in Cup… it’s such a huge jump,” Hamlin said. “But if there’s ever a prospect that’s going to be able to do it, I think that Connor’s showing enough to me to garner that.”
In his part-time Cup starts, Zilisch has already made an impression. At COTA, he qualified 14th and was running just outside the top 10 before a collision with Daniel Suárez ended his day. At Charlotte, he finished 23rd in the 600-mile race — a solid showing for a driver with limited Cup experience.
Hamlin acknowledged that SVG is improving with every race: “He’s [SVG] proving that he’s getting better, as he goes to tracks for a second time, he’s gonna get better as well. That’s gonna continue to progress.”
He added, “Connor would perform maybe not as good as SVG on road courses right away… but maybe better on the ovals.”
SVG himself recently explained that his struggles on ovals stem from NASCAR’s limited practice time. “It’s so difficult when you only have 15-20 minutes of practice, then straight into qualifying,” he said in May. He has previously highlighted how important extra laps are for drivers unfamiliar with NASCAR’s oval circuits and the Next Gen car.
Despite those challenges, van Gisbergen secured a win at the Mexico City road course earlier this season, locking himself into the playoffs and giving him room to focus on improving at the oval tracks still ahead.
Meanwhile, Zilisch’s upcoming Cup races at Atlanta and Watkins Glen will offer a broader test of his readiness. Atlanta’s high-speed drafting and Watkins Glen’s technical demands should provide valuable insight into how he handles the step up.
For Hamlin, Zilisch’s performances so far are worth the attention: “Connor’s showing enough to me to garner that.” Whether that early promise leads to long-term Cup success remains to be seen, but he’s certainly on the radar.
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