Connor Zilisch returned from the NASCAR Xfinity Series sidelines and displayed why the 18-year-old driver remains favored to claim top first-year driver honors. He also enjoyed his biggest points-earning effort of his career.
After missing the circuit’s previous outing at Texas on May 3 with an injured lower back, Zilisch bounced back with a P2 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his home track.
In the final laps Saturday, Zilisch battled series points leader Justin Allgaier and two-time Daytona 500 champion William Byron during a series of Stage 3 restarts. The two-week hiatus helped Zilisch’s health.
“I felt really good,” Zilisch said. “Sometimes, it’s good to get a few weeks off and reset. Really proud of this group. We had a really good car today. Just came up a little bit short, but we’ll go get them next week at Nashville and see what we can do there.”
Zilisch registered 52 points, exceeding his total after winning at COTA on March 1.
“You don’t realize how much you love it till you’re out of it for a few weeks. So, yeah, grateful that I was able to get back this quickly after a wreck that hard.”
His first race back behind the wheel produced his biggest points day of 2025. A runner-up finish in Stage 1 for nine points and a third-place run in Stage 2 added another eight, propelling him to a 52-point total that exceeded even his March win at Circuit of The Americas — all on a day that wasn’t perfect for the No. 88 Chevrolet.
Zilisch placed P23 during Sunday’s Cup appearance.
Got to race alongside one of my heroes growing up yesterday which was awesome. Had to ask for a pic😆
Congrats on 700 @JimmieJohnson👊🏼
23rd for our @redbull team. Decent night. Got damage early on in a wreck and was never the same after that. Still such a cool experience! pic.twitter.com/8elfjrhXdY
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) May 26, 2025
NASCAR National Series Weekend Schedule
Here is a list of NASCAR National Series events this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway (All Times ET):
Friday
- 4:05 p.m.: Truck Series practice
- 5:10 p.m.: Truck Series qualifying
- 8 p.m.: Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 race
Saturday
- 2:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series practice
- 3:10 p.m.: Xfinity Series qualifying
- 4:30 p.m.: Cup Series practice
- 5:40 p.m.: p.m.: Cup Series qualifying
- 7:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 race
Sunday
- 7 p.m.: Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 race
Making it SHINE ✨#CB400 | #TNLottery250 | #Rackley200 pic.twitter.com/cZ0wr6J6yp
— Nashville Superspeedway (@NashvilleSuperS) May 27, 2025
Tennessee Lottery 250 Entry List
NASCAR Xfinity Series officials released the entry list for Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway:
- 1, Sheldon Creed, No. 00 Ford
- 2, Carson Kvapil, No. 1 Chevrolet
- 3, Jesse Love, No. 2 Chevrolet
- 4, Parker Retzlaff, No. 4 Chevrolet
- 5, Kris Wright, No. 5 Chevrolet
- 6, Nick Leitz, No. 07 Chevrolet
- 7, Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Chevrolet
- 8, Sammy Smith, No. 8 Chevrolet
- 9, Ross Chastain, No. 9 Chevrolet
- 10, Daniel Dye, No. 10 Chevrolet
- 11, Josh Williams, No. 11 Chevrolet
- 12, Logan Bearden, No. 14 Chevrolet
- 13, Christian Eckes, No. 16 Chevrolet
- 14, Kyle Larson, No. 17 Chevrolet
- 15, William Sawalich, No. 18 Toyota
- 16, Aric Almirola, No. 19 Toyota
- 17, Brandon Jones, No. 20 Toyota
- 18, Austin Hill, No. 21 Chevrolet
- 19, Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 24 Toyota
- 20, Harrison Burton, No. 25 Ford
- 21, Dean Thompson, No. 26 Toyota
- 22, Jeb Burton, No. 27 Chevrolet
- 23, Kyle Sieg, No. 28 Ford
- 24, Blaine Perkins, No. 31 Chevrolet
- 25, Katherine Legge, No. 32 Chevrolet
- 26, TBA, No. 35 Toyota
- 27, Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Ford
- 28, Sam Mayer, No. 41 Ford
- 29, Anthony Alfredo, No. 42 Chevrolet
- 30, Brennan Poole, No. 44 Chevrolet
- 31, Mason Massey, No. 45 Chevrolet
- 32, Nicholas Sanchez, No. 48 Chevrolet
- 33, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Chevrolet
- 34, Mason Maggio, No. 53 Ford
- 35, Taylor Gray, No. 54 Toyota
- 36, Thomas Annunziata, No. 70 Chevrolet
- 37, Ryan Ellis, No. 71 Chevrolet
- 38, Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Chevrolet
- 39, Myatt Snider, No. 91 Chevrolet
- 40, Matt DiBenedetto, No. 99 Chevrolet
300 miles are the priority today in the @PriorityTire Chevrolet for the BetMGM 300 pic.twitter.com/z0w3CLvf27
— Nick Leitz 𝕏 (@NickLeitz_) May 24, 2025
