Every Sunday, Connor Zilisch has Stefan Parsons in his ear as a spotter in the NASCAR Cup, but this duo has switched roles for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in Nashville.
Parsons drives the No. 4 entry of Niece Motorsports in his first start of the year, while Zilisch will be his eyes from above, observing and guiding him during the race.
“It will be a lot of fun to experience something new,” Zilisch commented before the race weekend. “I’m glad Stefan trusts me to do it. There are many guys who would probably do it better, but it will be great to do this and learn what it’s like from a new perspective. I’ve spottered on road courses and in the Cup race in Indy, but leading the race in Nashville with the trucks will be different.”
On the key to being a good spotter, Zilisch said it’s about “not panicking and staying calm, and relaying the information when I can without talking too much. I think I understand well what I need to do. I hope I can relay the information I need during the good and bad situations. Stefan is really nice and helps me a lot as a Cup driver with the notes he takes.”
Stefan is the son of NASCAR Cup race winner Phil Parsons and the nephew of 1973 NASCAR Cup champion Benny Parsons. This will be his 29th outing in the Truck Series, and he hopes to achieve his fourth top ten of his career.
Feeling a little nervous
“Don’t laugh too hard at me!” Zilisch asked on the broadcast with a smile right before his ‘debut’ as a spotter, as this is his first time doing it. On Friday night, he had to wait a bit due to rain that delayed the start of the race. During the wait, Zilisch spoke with Fox Sports 1 from the rooftop in Nashville, admitting he was a little nervous but excited. “I feel a little more nervous than when I’m behind the wheel,” Zilisch said. “I have Stefan’s fate for the day in my hands. I’m really excited about that, swapping the steering wheel for a headset. I like getting different perspectives on race day.
“Today I’m a spotter, tomorrow I’m a commentator, and Sunday I’m racing. It will be a fun weekend doing things I’m probably not very comfortable with, but I’m looking forward to it a lot.”
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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