For Silver Hare Racing, VIRginia Worldwide Raceway (VIR) is residence for a lot of causes. Along with being the closest monitor to the staff’s Excessive Level, N.C. race store, staff homeowners Maurice and Laura Hull (pictured above) personal and function Waukegan Farms, which is positioned simply six miles southeast of VIR in Semora, N.C. However greater than that, VIR is the center of Silver Hare Racing. It’s the place Laura, who grew up 30 miles south of the monitor in Union Ridge, N.C., met Maurice, setting in movement the occasions that led to the creation of the profitable multi-car CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Collection staff. Laura labored because the PR and advertising director at VIR from 2002-04, and met Maurice, who was racing sports activities automobiles and classic automobiles on the monitor. Launched by a mutual pal in 2002, the 2 have been collectively ever since.
“Once I take into consideration VIR, I must say there’s no place like residence, particularly racing at residence,” mentioned Laura Hull. “Yearly presently, we actually wish to prolong our warmest welcome to the racing neighborhood by saying, ‘Welcome to our residence.’ We couldn’t be extra excited for this weekend. Not solely is it such a novel monitor and a wonderful a part of the nation, my private expertise at VIR was fully life altering. Between my work expertise there and my love for racing, it’s the place I really met the love of my life, to not sound cliché. It was within the paddock there that Maurice and I have been launched by a mutual pal means again in 2002, and assembly him fully modified my life. It led to the creation of Silver Hare Racing, which Maurice and I are so terribly happy with.”
Not solely is VIR a house monitor for the staff, however it’s additionally a really particular monitor for Connor Zilisch, who’s again within the Trans Am Collection this weekend for the primary time since his season-opening TA2 win at Sebring Worldwide Raceway in February. Zilisch made his Trans Am debut at VIR with Nitro Motorsports in 2021, incomes the pole in his first weekend in a TA2 automobile. Final yr, Zilisch made historical past, sweeping the weekend and turning into the primary driver to win each a TA and TA2 race in a single weekend, driving to GYM WEED Winners Circle in his first-career TA begin.
“Clearly, VIR is particular to me as a result of that’s the place it began for me with Silver Hare Racing,” mentioned Zilisch. “I had my first take a look at with them again in 2021. Then going there and profitable within the TA2 race final yr and profitable the TA race on the identical weekend, turning into the primary particular person to comb a weekend, it makes it a particular monitor for me and one which I actually get pleasure from, too.
“It’s one in all my favourite tracks within the nation, and I all the time have an excellent time once I race there. It’s traditionally been a very good monitor for me as properly, so I’m wanting ahead to getting again there and racing with everyone and getting again with the Trans Am Collection. Clearly, issues have modified since I final was there with the sequence, so I’m wanting ahead to getting there and seeing how the sequence has grown and I’m able to benefit from this chance at a monitor that I really like.”
Exterior of the Trans Am paddock, Zilisch has been forging a reputation for himself in all types of motorsports. He began the yr with an LMP2 win within the Rolex 24 At Daytona and adopted that up with a victory in the identical class within the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. He has earned 5 ARCA Menards Collection wins, and earned a pole and top-five end in his NASCAR Truck Collection debut at Circuit of The Americas. Zilisch has a multi-year growth contract with Trackhouse Racing and Chevrolet, has joined the Crimson Bull household of athletes, and most lately made his NASCAR Xfinity Collection debut, the place he scored each the pole and the race win at Watkins Glen Worldwide in his first profession begin.
This weekend, Zilisch could have the extra problem of competing in Saturday’s race with out apply or qualifying, as he can be driving within the NASCAR Truck Collection race at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday night time. The staff can also be welcoming three companions from the area to Zilisch’s No. 57 Camaro: Bankers Insurance coverage Group, Man M Turner Firm and Clark Outside, along with receiving help from Chevrolet Driver Growth.
“I’m actually excited for this weekend again at VIR. I’ve obtained the NASCAR Truck Collection race at Talladega on Friday and it’s going to be a busy day on Saturday getting again as much as VIR to run the TA2 race,” mentioned Zilisch. “We examined slightly bit at VIR and felt actually comfy with the automobile. We’re simply constructing off the velocity we had there final yr; we have been actually quick and it was most likely one in all our greatest races final yr.
“It’s actually particular to race at VIR, being the house race for Silver Hare Racing, and it’s the closest race on the schedule to my home, as properly, so it’s additionally a house race for me and that makes it much more necessary and extra particular to exit and carry out. Clearly, that is solely my second race with Silver Hare Racing this yr within the TA2 sequence, and it’d be cool to go two-for-two. It means loads to race with this staff and get again with all the blokes that I sort of began my skilled profession with. I’m going to try to do every thing I can to use every thing I’ve discovered this yr in all the opposite sequence I’ve been blessed to have the ability to race in and benefit from this chance.
“It means loads to have the ability to race with Silver Hare Racing once more and be again with Maurice and Laura Hull, Gil Martin and Jeff Holley, and everyone who I’ve discovered from over time. Hopefully we will choose up the place we left off final time. We gained the race at Sebring and simply wish to construct on that success and the success we had the final half of final season. I’m wanting ahead to it and I’m prepared for the chance and able to benefit from it.”
Zilisch can be competing with Silver Hare Racing teammate Jake Drew (No. 7 Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro), who has had a powerful first season in Trans Am. Drew has earned three podium finishes and 6 top-five finishes to date, and he’s presently in a decent race for the Younger Gun award. Boris Stated Jr. may also be flying the Silver Hare banner within the No. 75 HendrickCars.com/Silver Hare Chevrolet Camaro.
The inexperienced flag will wave for the CUBE 3 Structure TA2 Collection race at VIR on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 12:40 p.m. ET. The race can be broadcast dwell on MAVTV in addition to on the Trans Am Collection YouTube channel.
