WEDDINGTON, NC - This month's WKA #RaceLife Spotlight racer just won big time at the Rok Cup International Final in Lonato, Italy. Connor Zilisch won the Mini Rok class in Italy just after having won the WKA Bridgestone Mid-season Shootout. In total, there were 164 MiniRok racers at the International Final from over 31 different countries! The future is definitely looking bright for this WKA #RaceLife Spotlight racer who one day wants to be a race car driver and an engineer. Read more about Connor below.
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
"Weddington, North Carolina"
WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU TO RACE IN THE ROK CUP INTERNATIONAL FINAL?
"It was a lot more competitive and the racing is much more aggressive. If you aren’t passing the kart in front of you someone behind you will be passing you. I also got to race with the factory Energy team for the first time and I liked being part of the team and we had really good tuners. It was a really nice event and it was huge with the big number of drivers there from all over the world. I can’t wait to go again next year."
WHAT DID YOU DO TO PREPARE FOR THE BIG RACE?
"We raced in Italy at the same track the weekend before the Rok final. I didn’t qualify well for that race (like 44/108) but finished 21st in the A final. It was good practice for the rok race and I got used to the track and the type of racing."
HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU RACE AGAINST AND WHAT WAS THE COMPETITION LIKE?
"I think there were like 164 karts registered and my dad said there were 31 countries racing in the mini rok race. There were some really good drivers there especially from Italy, Poland and Russia and Luca Mars from the US. Nikita Johnson and Reece gold were also in the A final from the US. I qualified like 7th so I got to start all the heat races in the front row and finished 2nd, 3rd, 10th and 1st. In the 10th place finish I had motor problems. I started the final 9th."
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RACING?
"I first drove a go kart when I was 4 ½ and raced in kid karts when I was 5 so about 6 years."
HOW DID YOU GET INTO RACING?
"My dad raced cars and when me and my brothers got old enough he got us go karts to race at CMP."
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF RACING?
"Winning races and being with friends."
DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS?
"I calm myself by breathing in deep breaths."
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE RACER?
"Lewis Hamilton. I saw on 60 minutes he started in go kart racing."
WHICH TRACK IS YOUR FAVORITE?
"I like the track in New Orleans. I have only been there once for the SKUSA race but I really liked it."
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT WKA RACES?
"I see a lot of friends at the races."
WHICH WKA SERIES DO YOU RACE?
"Manufacturers Cup."
WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO BESIDES RACE?
"I used to play soccer for Charlotte Soccer Academy but racing got too busy so I don’t do it any more. I like playing other sports like basketball and flag football but mostly I just race."
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"I would like to race cars but I also want to be an engineer."
IS THERE ANY OTHER INTERESTING THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
"I want to thank my mom for letting Dad and I go racing so much. She (Mom) usually doesn’t come to the races but she is lucky she did come to Italy for the Rok final."