Connor Zilisch has made Watkins Glen his personal playground. The rising NASCAR star secured his third consecutive O'Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at the iconic New York road course on Saturday evening, pulling off a dramatic last-corner pass on reigning series champion Jesse Love that had fans on their feet.
Zilisch's dominance at The Glen began with a stunning debut in the then-Xfinity Series back in 2024. He followed it up last summer with another win—though that celebration was nearly disastrous when he slipped off his car's window lip, falling headfirst onto the concrete and suffering a broken collarbone that required surgery.
"It's so cool to come back and get my third win at Watkins Glen in a row at JRM," Zilisch said from Victory Lane. "Cool to get it with Rodney [Childers]. It's my third different crew chief here, so it really means a lot to get another one here and get out of the car safely and make it onto the ground without trying to kill myself."
The victory was Zilisch's second of the season in the No. 1 JRM car, providing a bright spot in what has been a challenging start to his NASCAR Cup Series rookie campaign with Trackhouse Racing's No. 88 entry.
The race looked like it might finally end Zilisch's Watkins Glen streak when he went off track at the bus stop with just a few laps remaining, damaging his splitter in the grass. Meanwhile, Jesse Love—who snatched the 2025 Xfinity Series championship from Zilisch at Phoenix last year—was stretching his fuel and seemed poised to finally beat his close friend on a road course.
But racing is unpredictable, especially at Watkins Glen. Love blew the final corner wide open, and Zilisch pounced like a veteran predator. The last-lap battle was pure theater, showcasing the intensity of this budding rivalry between two of NASCAR's brightest young stars.
"When you really nickel and dime it, there's a hundred little small mistakes that let him get close," Love reflected on his closing laps. "And at the end of the day, the glaring piece of it is, I had a bad corner. I had a bad corner."
The runner-up finish clearly stung Love, who seemed as frustrated as Zilisch was after losing the championship at Phoenix. It's a reminder that in racing, beating someone known as one of the best at a particular track type—and Zilisch has earned that reputation on road courses—means everything.
"All I want to do is beat Connor here, and we're best friends, and we've caused each other a lot of pain," Love admitted. "And yeah, I didn't execute."
For Zilisch, the win wasn't just about extending his streak. It was about redemption, resilience, and celebrating safely. As he continues to build his legacy at Watkins Glen, one thing is clear: when the green flag drops at this track, Connor Zilisch is the driver everyone else is chasing.