Trackhouse duo: van Gisbergen debuts, Zilisch returns at Florence
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 2, 2026
Van Gisbergen debut
Trackhouse Racing teammates Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch are set to give the Florence Motor Speedway CARS Tour Late Model Stock race a strong headline, with van Gisbergen set for his series debut in Hettinger Racing’s No. 51 Red Bull Chevrolet and Zilisch returning in JR Motorsports’ No. 8 car. The race was scheduled for 125 laps and featured Red Bull-backed, Red Bull-sponsored or Red Bull-liveried entries, turning Florence into a showcase for drivers from different corners of the sport. Van Gisbergen said his interest in Late Model racing started after he watched a CARS Tour event at Florence two years earlier. He called it cool to get a chance to try the discipline himself. The New Zealander brought plenty of attention to the race before a lap was turned, and his debut will add another layer to a weekend that already carries extra weight because of the NASCAR activity at nearby Darlington Raceway.
Zilisch returns
Connor Zilisch came back to the CARS Tour with real history at Florence and a growing record in the series. He had 14 previous starts across 2023 and 2024, and he already owned two strong CARS Tour connections. Zilisch won the South Carolina 250 in a Limited car at Florence in 2023, then added another CARS Tour victory at Hickory Speedway in 2024. That background gave him a clear reference point for the night ahead, even with a bigger spotlight on the event. Zilisch said he expected the race to be competitive and did not view it as an easy win. The field size backed that up, with several high-profile names in the mix. He also said he was eager to watch van Gisbergen take on something he described as the furthest thing from what he is used to. That matchup gave the race a crossover feel without losing its local-series identity. Zilisch enters with experience, recent success and familiarity with the track, but he still faces the same crowded, unforgiving Late Model environment that shapes the rest of the lineup.
Earnhardt Jr. on field
Dale Earnhardt Jr. added another layer of interest by preparing for his CARS Tour Pro Late Model debut at the same event. He pointed to the quality of the lineup and the size of the field, saying both Trackhouse drivers would be in competitive identical Late Models and would have their hands full. That description fit the shape of the race well. Florence brought together a mix of established racers and developing names, and the event’s Red Bull presence gave it a distinct look. Earnhardt’s debut also tied the race to a bigger weekend in the region, with NASCAR opening The Chase at nearby Darlington Raceway. That placed Florence inside a busy stretch for racing fans and gave the CARS Tour race added attention without changing its basic challenge. The night would still come down to short-track execution, traffic management and clean race craft over the race distance. Van Gisbergen, Zilisch and Earnhardt each approached the event from a different angle, but all three entered the same race with the same test ahead, a packed field at Florence and little room for error.
