Connor Zilisch dominates at Flat Rock Speedway for his second ARCA East victory on Saturday night in the Dutch Boy 150.
CARLETON, Mich. — A stellar season for Connor Zilisch continued Saturday evening at Flat Rock Speedway.
Connor Zilisch Dominates at Flat Rock Speedway for His Second ARCA East Victory
Joining a long list of notable winners at the facility that includes Frank Kimmel, Tim Steele, Bob Keselowski, and Bill Venturini, Zilisch put together a dominant, wire-to-wire performance in the Dutch Boy 150 to claim his second ARCA Menards Series East victory of 2024.
Zilisch was not happy tailing William Sawalich for most of last week’s trip to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Rebounding with a stellar outing of his own at a historic track like Flat Rock made Saturday’s victory even more cathartic for Zilisch.
“We got our teeth beat in last week, but we came back this week,” Zilisch said. “We don’t quit, and all these guys work so hard back at the shop. This is their fourth weekend in a row on the road, and it’s not easy for these guys. To come here and lead every lap means a lot.”
With a resume that includes two LMP2 class victories in the Rolex 24 and 12 Hours of Sebring, Zilisch had plenty of momentum on his side entering Flat Rock as the East Series points leader.
Establishing a commanding tone was imperative for Zilisch to increase his narrow advantage in the standings after Sawalich closed the gap at Nashville. By earning the General Tire Pole Award with a 12.724 lap time, Zilisch had no issues controlling the race from the moment the first green flag waved.
A Few Lapped Traffic Challenges at Flat Rock
The only close call Zilisch faced in the Dutch Boy 150 came from lapped traffic. While navigating around slower traffic in the early stages, Zilisch made slight contact with Jeffrey MacZink. The incident left his left-rear quarter panel dangling for the rest of the night.
Sawalich, also colliding with slower cars in the stack-up, could not capitalize on his opportunity and had to watch as Zilisch drove away. Not even a late caution for Cody Dennison’s spin was enough for Sawalich to mount a charge.
William Sawalich Eyeing Another Championship
Dealing with a copious amount of lapped traffic left Sawalich slightly frustrated as he attempted to defend his Flat Rock victory from 2023. Despite his frustrations, Sawalich was happy with the speed his car. He knows he has more races to shift the championship fight back in his favor.
“The lapped cars were pretty tough today,” Sawalich said. “This Joe Gibbs Racing crew brought me a fast Toyota Camry, so I’m really proud of that. Second place was not where we wanted to be, but we’ll definitely take it and come back later.”
Sawalich leaves Flat Rock with a larger deficit to Zilisch in the point standings. Despite that, the defending East Series champion remains a potent threat for the title, since he has won at two of the four tracks on the upcoming schedule.
The ARCA East Point Standings
Zilisch remains focused on the East Series championship. But, on Saturday night he took pride in earning Chevrolet a victory at Flat Rock Speedway. The Michigan track is less than 30 minutes from the manufacturer headquarters in Detroit. Without the nurturing environment Chevrolet offers, Zilisch knows his development into a competitive short-track driver would not be as seamless.
“Everyone at Chevrolet, [including] Josh Wise and Scott Speed, do so much for me to prepare me for these moments,” Zilisch said. “It truly means a lot to come here and get a win for my first time coming [to Flat Rock]. I had no idea a quarter-mile could be this interesting, but this place has some character, and it sure was a lot of fun.”
With two ARCA victories under his belt, Zilisch is considering his shot at the East Series championship.
The Dutch Boy 150 Results
Gio Ruggiero, another contender in the East Series title fight, came home in third after starting on the outside of the front row. Rounding out the top five finishers were Ruggiero’s teammate Toni Breidinger and Zachary Tinkle.
Next Up
The remaining four races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series East schedule are in conjunction with the premier ARCA division. The Atlas 150 at Iowa Speedway on June 14 is up next for the East Series. That race will broadcast live on FS1 starting at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET.