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Trackhouse Entertainment Group is setting big plans in motion for one of NASCAR’s brightest young stars, 19-year-old Connor Zilisch. The driver, who will take on a full-time NASCAR Cup Series role in 2026, is being prepared for a possible run at the Indianapolis 500. However, team co-owner Justin Marks told Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern that the Indy 500 won’t happen in 2026. Instead, the team wants Zilisch to focus on adjusting to NASCAR’s top level first. The decision highlights Trackhouse’s long-term goal of becoming a global force in racing, blending NASCAR, MotoGP, and possibly IndyCar into one powerful brand. Zilisch’s Rapid Rise and Trackhouse’s Long-Term Plan In 2024, Connor Zilisch got into the driver development program of Trackhouse and didn’t take long to prove his talent. He got on the podium 10 times during the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season at JR Motorsports, and one of those wins was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was the 100th victory of the series for JRM. Besides that, Trackhouse, which was created in 2020 by Justin Marks, is very ambitious and already competing at full throttle in the three different series. NASCAR and MotoGP, while also making IMSA appearances, have been made. “Watching Larson go through that, it’s dramatic and it’s risky and it can be a little uncomfortable with the timing and all that kind of stuff, so if we decide to do something like that, Connor would certainly be at the top of our list. But to do that, we have to do it the right way, and I certainly don’t want to do it in his rookie year.” Marks didn’t say directly that doing both NASCAR and IndyCar would be a hard job, but when he said they want to “do it the right way,” that’s what he was implying. The Double: Indy 500 and Coke 600 Challenge Marks is fascinated by the idea of “The Double” scenario, which features a driver taking on two tasks that are the same in different series but completely different in nature, that is, in this case, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 done in the same day. The job is incredibly challenging. The Larson try at it in 2024, which was hampered by bad weather, was a perfect example of how risky it is. Marks has it that Zilisch would be the best performer if they were to give it a try. “The talent that is on its way up is as good as it’s ever been, and he’s just a true outlier. The way he’s been able to attack his rookie season, win at tracks he’s never been to before, but it’s also the stuff you can’t really see on TV. It’s his attitude, it’s his intelligence, how he approaches it and all that, his confidence, he will not be intimidated. I think he’s got all of the ingredients and tools necessary to be a huge star in this sport.” They are learning from the experience of Larson, where weather conditions caused him to miss part of the Coke 600 and thus prevented him from completing a double on time. Trackhouse is determined that they will be ready and the driver will be safe when/if they stage The Double attempt in the future. A Rising Star with Big Potential Zilisch has already earned praise from Justin Marks, who called him a “true outlier” in today’s generation of racers. Zilisch’s strong performances on unfamiliar tracks show his ability to adapt quickly, a key trait for success across different racing disciplines. As Trackhouse continues to grow its global presence, Zilisch stands at the center of that vision. From dominating Xfinity races to stepping into NASCAR’s biggest stage, his next challenge could be one of motorsport’s most iconic events, the Indianapolis 500.
