The CARS Tour is set to receive a major dose of NASCAR star power this weekend as Trackhouse Racing teammates Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch prepare to compete at Florence Motor Speedway in South Carolina.
The pair will take on Friday night’s CARS Late Model Stock Tour event, giving fans an opportunity to see two NASCAR Cup Series drivers compete in one of the country’s most competitive short-track series. The race is scheduled for September 4 at Florence Motor Speedway.
Van Gisbergen, better known as SVG, will make his CARS Tour debut behind the wheel of the No. 51 Hettinger Racing Chevrolet Camaro. The car will carry Red Bull sponsorship, giving the New Zealand driver a familiar look as he takes on a completely different challenge from his normal Cup Series competition.
SVG has already developed a reputation as one of NASCAR’s most versatile drivers. His road-racing background has been well documented, but he has also continued to improve on oval tracks since making the move to NASCAR. Now, he will get the chance to experience Late Model Stock racing for the first time.
Zilisch, meanwhile, will be returning to familiar territory. The young driver will pilot the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, also carrying Red Bull colors. Zilisch has 14 previous CARS Tour starts from the 2023 and 2024 seasons and already has a CARS Tour victory on his résumé after winning at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2024.
While Zilisch has experience in the series, he isn’t taking the weekend lightly. The CARS Tour features some of the best short-track racers in the country, and simply qualifying for the main event will be a challenge with a strong field expected.
The matchup between Zilisch and SVG could be one of the biggest storylines of the night. Both drivers will be racing Red Bull-backed Late Models, but they enter the event with very different levels of CARS Tour experience.
Adding even more star power to the weekend, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is also scheduled to compete at Florence, although he will race in the Pro Late Model division.
With the NASCAR Cup Series competing nearby at Darlington Raceway, the Florence event gives fans a unique opportunity to watch some of NASCAR’s biggest names take on short track racing.
For Zilisch, it is a chance to return to Victory Lane. For SVG, it is the beginning of a new chapter in his already impressive racing career.