If you thought Connor Zilisch was going to slow down after his absolute tear through the Xfinity Series, you clearly haven’t been paying attention. The 19-year-old prodigy is kicking off his 2026 calendar by jumping into the deep end of the pool. Zilisch is officially locked in to compete in IMSA’s crown jewel, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but this time, the stakes are significantly higher.
Action Express Racing has tapped the young phenom to pilot the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. For those keeping score at home, that means Zilisch isn’t just participating in the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic; he is hunting for the overall win in the premier GTP class.
A Massive Leap for Zilisch
We have watched Zilisch climb the ladder with a speed that borders on alarming. But strapping into a GTP machine is a different beast entirely. When the engines fire on January 24-25, 2026, it will mark his third consecutive start at Daytona, but his first attempt in the top-tier category.
He isn’t going it alone, of course. Zilisch will share the cockpit with a lineup that reads like a sports car all-star team: Earl Bamber, Jack Aitken, and Frederik Vesti.“I’m excited to be with Action Express Racing for the Rolex 24 at Daytona,” Zilisch said, clearly aware of the gravity of the seat he’s filling.
“The Rolex 24 is one of my favorite races, and I’m thrilled to be with one of the best teams in the IMSA paddock. I’m very thankful to everyone at GM and Cadillac Racing for their help in making this happen.”
From Xfinity Dominance to Daytona Glory
It is hard to overstate the momentum Zilisch is carrying into this event. He is coming off a sensational campaign with JR Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series that left veterans shaking their heads. He racked up a tour-best 10 victories and secured second place in the final standings.
That performance paved his way to the Cup Series, where he is set to run for Rookie of the Year honors in the No. 88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing. But before he battles for Cup points, he has unfinished business in Florida. Zilisch already knows the taste of victory lane at Daytona.
In 2024, as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, he co-drove an Era Motorsport entry to a win in the LMP2 class. Last year, he mixed it up in the GTD PRO class alongside heavy hitters like Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin. Now, he gets the keys to the fastest car on the property.
A Sentimental Return to the High Banks
There is a palpable emotion when Zilisch talks about Daytona. It’s the track that essentially raised him.“The first time I came to Daytona racing was in the MX-5 Cup, and I’ve loved it ever since,” Zilisch recalled. “Just being able to race in the 24 hours is something that I dreamed of as a kid, and that’s why I always come back and keep doing it.
It’s my third time doing it and the third different car that I’ve done it in… It’s been such a dream of mine to get to drive in the highest class of IMSA, and doing that today has been really cool.”That boyish enthusiasm masks a driver with the racecraft of a veteran.
Action Express knows exactly who they have hired. This is a team that demands excellence, managed by Gary Nelson, that closed out last season with a victory at the Motul Petit Le Mans and is a seven-time champion in the Michelin North American Endurance Cup.
The Road Ahead for Action Express and Cadillac
The pressure will be on immediately. Action Express is fielding one of three Cadillac entries for the 2026 schedule, joining two cars from Wayne Taylor Racing. With a grid of 61 cars expected to pack the 3.56-mile road course, traffic management will be brutal, and the margin for error will be nonexistent.
Zilisch and his crew won’t have to wait long to feel the speed. On-track preparations kick off January 16-18 with the Roar Before the Rolex 24. It will be our first real look at whether the kid who conquered the Xfinity Series can translate that dominance to the pinnacle of American sports car racing. If history is any indicator, betting against Connor Zilisch is a losing proposition.
