0
0
By Brandon White
September 13, 2024
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — A big weekend for Connor Zilisch at Watkins Glen International got off to a perfect start in Friday’s General Tire 100 at the Glen.
Setting a commanding tone in qualifying with a General Tire Pole run nearly one second faster than second-place William Sawalich, Zilisch faced no resistance as he pulled away for one of the most dominant victories of his young career by an 11-second margin. The perfect outing at Watkins Glen was Zilisch’s fifth ARCA Menards Series national triumph in six appearances.
RELATED: Complete results from the General Tire 100 at the Glen
Watkins Glen was circled on Zilisch’s calendar following his near miss at the facility during his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2023. For Zilisch, redeeming himself in efficient fashion Friday evening encapsulated the arduous effort Pinnacle Racing Group has displayed to keep him competitive all season.
“This Pinnacle Racing Group team worked hard, but this was one we wanted this year,” Zilisch said. “We worked really hard to bring a fast car to these road courses, and it means a lot to get redemption on our second-place finish from last year.”
Zilisch had a Watkins Glen victory all but wrapped up last year after putting together a performance like the one on Friday. A late caution set up a one-lap shootout that required Zilisch to play both offense and defense on a wet race track.
After successfully reclaiming the lead on the last restart, Zilisch found himself having to fend off Jesse Love while navigating the treacherous conditions. Love got to Zilisch’s back bumper in Turn 11, moving him out of the lead and cruising to one of 10 victories during his championship run.
With Love serving as his spotter for the General Tire 100 at the Glen as opposed to his competitor, Zilisch had additional momentum to go along with his road course experience that includes LMP2 class victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring.
Once he cleared Sawalich on the initial start, Zilisch proved to be unstoppable through all 41 laps at Watkins Glen.
All Sawalich could do was watch as Zilisch’s No. 28 Chevrolet Performance/Silver Hare Development Chevrolet grew smaller in his windshield. Sawalich considered the afternoon to be a success with his second place performance but admitted he had nothing to properly challenge Zilisch for the win.
“I could stick with [Zilisch] in restarts on Turn 1, but that was about it,” Sawalich said. “He had a really fast car, but we had a good Toyota Camry today. I’m really proud of the guys, and we brought it home in one piece. I had a lot of fun today, but it was just a second place car overall.”
Sawalich is now turning his attention toward the upcoming ARCA Menards Series East finale at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday. Entering as the defending winner, Sawalich is confident he can earn a second consecutive Bristol triumph but stressed overcoming a 16-point deficit to Zilisch will require a stalwart effort.
The euphoria of Friday’s win and a potential East Series title next week are only temporary thoughts for Zilisch. Once the celebrations end, Zilisch will strap into a JR Motorsports car for his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in Saturday’s Mission 200 at the Glen.
With so much developing in Zilisch’s career, he considers himself fortunate to be in an environment where he can simultaneously learn and thrive. Only a handful of ARCA Menards Series starts remains before Zilisch departs PRG for a full year in the Xfinity Series, but he intends to excel at every opportunity with the program.
“It makes my job easier,” Zilisch said. “Every time I show up to the track, these guys bring me a fast car, and I can count on them. It’s been a lot of fun this year, and I’m super proud of everyone that is a part of this team. It’s truly a blessing to be here, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
Xfinity Series competitor Brandon Jones, who Zilisch will race on Saturday, finished third in the running order, where he was followed by ARCA Menards Series points leader Andres Perez and Connor Mosack.
Rounding out the top 10 were Gio Ruggiero, Thomas Annunziata, Ryan Gemmell, Lavar Scott and Dylan Lupton.
The final battle between Zilisch and Sawalich for the ARCA Menards Series East title at Bristol Motor Speedway will also serve as their last combination event with the national ARCA Menards Series. FS1 will provide live coverage of the Bush’s Beans 100 starting at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday night.
