Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 01, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Michael C. Johnson

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio

AUSTIN, Tex. — Connor Zilisch proved once again that he thrives under pressure, overcoming multiple obstacles to secure victory in Saturday’s Focused Health 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). The 18-year-old road racing prodigy battled back from a commitment line violation, mid-race contact, and relentless competition to capture his second career Xfinity Series win.

Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 01, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Michael C. Johnson

Zilisch, who started from the pole, initially controlled the race, leading much of the opening stage. However, a pit road penalty for entering after the commitment line placed him at the rear of the field to start the second stage. Instead of panicking, the JR Motorsports driver meticulously worked his way through the pack, surging into third place by the final stage.

The race took another dramatic turn when Zilisch made hard contact with Corey Heim while fighting for position. The impact damaged the right front fender of Zilisch’s No. 88 Chevrolet and caused a significant tire rub under braking. Despite the setback, he remained undeterred, keeping his sights on the leaders.

The defining moment came on Lap 56 when Zilisch executed a decisive pass on Carson Kvapil, his JR Motorsports teammate, to take the lead for good. Kvapil fought back until a right-front tire failure on Lap 60 ended his chances, leaving Zilisch with a clear path to victory.

William Byron, who trimmed a four-second deficit to just over a second by the checkered flag, finished as the runner-up. Driving the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Byron acknowledged the challenges of the race.

Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 01, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Michael C. Johnson

“My car was just kind of floppy in the short run, and I had to try to take care of it,” Byron said. “I just tried to stay with it there in the long run. It was a good workout, and it should help me for tomorrow.”

Sam Mayer secured third place, marking his best finish at COTA. Mayer, who has never finished worse than ninth in four starts at the track, expressed confidence in his team’s performance.

“We were good enough to get in the top three and get that podium finish,” Mayer said. “We got hit multiple times, but this team’s future is really bright.”

Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, drives around the track during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 01, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Michael C. Johnson

Austin Hill, last week’s Atlanta winner and the series points leader, finished fourth. He briefly held the lead on Lap 46 but lost ground after overdriving Turn 6a. Christian Eckes rounded out the top five.

The win was particularly significant for Zilisch, who rebounded from disappointing finishes at Daytona and Atlanta earlier this season. He became just the second full-time Xfinity Series driver to win at COTA in the past five years, continuing a trend in which the polesitter has claimed victory in four of the last five races at the track.

“That was way harder than I wanted it to be,” Zilisch admitted. “I made way too many mistakes, but we fought back. It’s been such a fun weekend, but we’ve got a big race tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to that as well.”

Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, answers questions from the media after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 01, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Michael C. Johnson

Zilisch’s next challenge comes in the NASCAR Cup Series, where he will make his debut in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. He will start 14th in the 37-car field, aiming to build on the momentum from his Xfinity triumph.

The Focused Health 250 saw 14 lead changes among nine different drivers, with Zilisch leading a race-high 26 laps. Other lap leaders included Kvapil, Hill, Riley Herbst, Jesse Love, and Taylor Gray.

Despite the intense competition, Zilisch’s ability to adapt and persevere solidified his status as one of NASCAR’s rising stars. With a blend of patience, skill, and tenacity, he turned a challenging race into a defining moment in his young career.

As he prepares for his Cup Series debut, the racing world will be watching to see if Zilisch can carry his success from Saturday’s battle at COTA into the big leagues on Sunday.

Interview:

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Winner Connor Zilisch (No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) –

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Focused Health 250

Circuit of The Americas

Austin, Texas

Saturday, March 1, 2025

          1. (1)  Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 65.

          2. (3)  William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 65.

          3. (8)  Sam Mayer, Ford, 65.

          4. (12)  Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 65.

          5. (10)  Christian Eckes #, Chevrolet, 65.

          6. (11)  Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 65.

          7. (7)  Taylor Gray #, Toyota, 65.

          8. (2)  Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 65.

          9. (23)  William Sawalich #, Toyota, 65.

          10. (18)  Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 65.

          11. (16)  Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 65.

          12. (14)  Sheldon Creed, Ford, 65.

          13. (9)  Riley Herbst(i), Toyota, 65.

          14. (27)  Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 65.

          15. (21)  Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 65.

          16. (34)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 65.

          17. (15)  Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, 65.

          18. (30)  Dean Thompson #, Toyota, 65.

          19. (38)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, 65.

          20. (32)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 65.

          21. (17)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 65.

          22. (26)  Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 65.

          23. (5)  Carson Kvapil #, Chevrolet, 65.

          24. (19)  Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 65.

          25. (29)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 65.

          26. (20)  Austin Green, Chevrolet, 65.

          27. (36)  Kyle Sieg, Ford, 65.

          28. (35)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 65.

          29. (4)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 65.

          30. (13)  Brandon Jones, Toyota, 65.

          31. (6)  Corey Heim(i), Toyota, 65.

          32. (22)  Matt DiBenedetto, Chevrolet, 65.

          33. (33)  Kris Wright, Chevrolet, 64.

          34. (28)  Sage Karam, Toyota, Transmission, 58.

          35. (31)  Harrison Burton, Ford, Axle, 55.

          36. (25)  Preston Pardus, Chevrolet, Rear End, 26.

          37. (37)  Baltazar Leguizamon, Chevrolet, Suspension, 17.

          38. (24)  Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 3.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  70.095 mph.

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 13 Mins, 32 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.639 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  4 for 14 laps.

Lead Changes:  14 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   C. Zilisch # 1-5;R. Chastain(i) 6;C. Zilisch # 7-17;W. Byron(i) 18-20;R. Chastain(i) 21;T. Gray # 22-23;J. Love 24;T. Gray # 25;J. Love 26-30;R. Herbst(i) 31-37;H. Burton 38-42;C. Kvapil # 43-45;A. Hill 46-51;C. Kvapil # 52-55;C. Zilisch # 56-65.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Connor Zilisch # 3 times for 26 laps; Carson Kvapil # 2 times for 7 laps; Riley Herbst(i) 1 time for 7 laps; Jesse Love 2 times for 6 laps; Austin Hill 1 time for 6 laps; Harrison Burton 1 time for 5 laps; Taylor Gray # 2 times for 3 laps; William Byron(i) 1 time for 3 laps; Ross Chastain(i) 2 times for 2 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 17,9,24,41,7,21,16,8,42,07

Stage #2 Top Ten: 25,10,8,27,39,44,07,11,53,28