{"id":55246,"date":"2025-10-11T22:25:05","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T03:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=55246"},"modified":"2025-10-18T08:32:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T13:32:26","slug":"aric-almirola-bests-connor-zilisch-in-xfinity-playoff-race-at-las-vegas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/11\/aric-almirola-bests-connor-zilisch-in-xfinity-playoff-race-at-las-vegas\/","title":{"rendered":"Aric Almirola bests Connor Zilisch in Xfinity Playoff race at Las Vegas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Aric Almirola, driver of the #19 Young Life Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity SeriesFocused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Logan Riely\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

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By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

LAS VEGAS \u2013 An incredible race-long scramble among the day\u2019s front-running trio of veteran Aric Almirola and young talents Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love ended in favor of the experienced Almirola, but he really had to earn this trophy in Saturday\u2019s Focused Health 302 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n

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Aric Almirola, driver of the #19 Young Life Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Xfinity SeriesFocused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Almirola, who led a race best 107 of the 201 laps, took the lead for good from the season\u2019s most dominant driver Zilisch with nine laps remaining and he held off the championship leader by .696-second in one of the most competitive races of the season.<\/p>\n

The win for the 41-year-old Almirola – who is racing part-time this season – gives his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota the first automatic berth for the owners championship in the Nov. 1 season-ending Championship Four finale in Phoenix.<\/p>\n

It was the third win of the 2025 season and 10th of his career for Almirola, who made the dramatic race-winning move \u2013 diving low on the 19-year-old Zilisch \u2013 and then having to out-run and out-maneuver the talented young star in the closing laps.<\/p>\n

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Aric Almirola, driver of the #19 Young Life Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity SeriesFocused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Logan Riely\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Almirola\u2019s victory settles an owner\u2019s championship position but also means the final four championship race is still open to four drivers \u2013 at least two of which will now advance based on points.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch an awesome opportunity to go race for an owner\u2019s championship with [Gibbs\u2019 late son] J.D. Gibbs name on the car,” Almirola said. \u201cI\u2019m having so much fun. This is the time of my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur car was good. Our car was really good but the longer I ran the tighter I got and I was just struggling on the long run at the beginning of Stage 3 and finally on that re-start [with 23 laps remaining] I took off incredibly tight and couldn\u2019t get going and was able to go chase the 88 [Zilisch] down. He looked pretty loose and I was able to capitalize on that.<\/p>\n

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Aric Almirola, driver of the #19 Young Life Toyota, Jesse Love, driver of the #2 Whelen Chevrolet, and Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Xfinity SeriesFocused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

“It was awesome racing them.”<\/p>\n

Zilisch\u2019s runner-up finish extends his series record consecutive top-five efforts to 18 races. He\u2019s finished first or second place an incredible 11 of the last 13 races. However, that streak of success was no comfort in the immediate moments after Saturday\u2019s checkered flag. He even apologized to his JR Motorsports team on the cool-down lap for not being more aggressive in the race\u2019s closing laps.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe frustration just comes from the fact this means so much to me and the chance to lock into Phoenix,” said Zilisch, who boosted his advantage in the championship to 82 points above the four-driver Playoff cutoff line.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gave it my all and I drove as hard as I could. But I guess that\u2019s all we had today. I just have to do a better job.”<\/p>\n

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Aric Almirola, driver of the #19 Young Life Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Xfinity SeriesFocused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Logan Riely\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWe put ourselves int eh right spots, but unfortunately I just didn\u2019t come away with it,” he added. \u201cPlus, 82 [points] is not bad, it could have been a lot worse but having another \u201cwin\u201d sticker on this thing would have been a lot better.<\/p>\n

Zilisch\u2019s JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier, Saturday\u2019s polesitter and the defending race winner, finished third  followed by Hendrick Motorsports\u2019 development driver Corey Day and Big Machine Racing\u2019s Nick Sanchez.<\/p>\n

Love, who led three times for 22 laps, finished sixth in the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. He got caught up racing hard with Sanchez in the closing laps after running among the top-three for most of the day. He was frustrated and he and Sanchez had words on pit road following the checkered flag.<\/p>\n

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Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Chevrolet, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI had words with him and obviously I\u2019m extremely pissed off,” said Love who is now 20-points above the cutoff line. \u201cIt was my fault I was in the spot racing him. \u2026 I don\u2019t run into people and don\u2019t put people in bad spots for no reason and that\u2019s why I\u2019m upset about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did a lot of things really really good tonight and I did a lot of things really really bad tonight,” Love added.<\/p>\n

For his part, Sanchez said he was just racing hard an even though he is no longer Playoff-eligible, he still intends to race hard for wins in these final races of the season.<\/p>\n

Ryan Sieg, Taylor Gray, Playoff driver Sam Mayer and Austin Hill rounded out the top-10.<\/p>\n

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Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Chevrolet, poses for photos after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Focused Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Logan Riely\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Beyond Zilisch\u2019s huge lead in the Playoff standings, Allgaier is second, 44 points up on the cutoff. Love\u2019s sixth place showing moved him from fifth place into third place and Mayer is fourth, eight points above the line.<\/p>\n

JGR\u2019s Brandon Jones, who finished 13th Saturday, is now fifth in points, minus-eight. Mayer\u2019s Haas Factory Team teammate Sheldon Creed, who finished 11th is now 21 points off the cutline. Zilisch\u2019s JR Motorsports teammates Carson Kvapil, who finished 15th and Sammy Smith, who finished 20th are now 22 and 24 points, respectively, below the four-drive cutoff.<\/p>\n

The series returns to Playoff action next week at the 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for next Saturday\u2019s United Rentals 250 (4 p.m. ET, CW Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Sammy Smith is the defending race winner.<\/p>\n

Interview: NXS Race Winner Aric Almirola (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n