Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year Connor Zilisch revealed Monday morning that he is cleared to race in this weekend’s Xfinity Series BetMGM 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This follows a three-week stint on the proverbial injured list for the young driver.
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) May 19, 2025
During the Apr. 26 Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega, Zilisch spun on the last lap, hitting the inside wall head-first and injuring his back. In a release from Trackhouse Racing and JR Motorsports, Zilisch said, “My back is all healed up, and I’m ready for a big weekend at Charlotte.”
Zilisch and his No. 88 team currently sit second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year standings (despite missing one race). This update is also big news for Trackhouse, as Zilisch was scheduled to make his second-ever Cup Series Start, and first on an Oval, this weekend.
Though unfortunate, Zilisch’s back injury came at a rather convenient time. The 18-year-old only missed one race. This was thanks to the Xfinity Series All-Star break, as the series has not raced since May 3. That race, the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway, was won by Zilisch’s No. 88 team with Kyle Larson behind the wheel.
So far, through 11 races in his first full-time Xfinity Series season, Zilisch has one win, one top-five, and three top-tens.
Though he has a rather disappointing 16.8 average finish, this does not mean he hasn’t shown speed. The future star has a series second-best 6.6 average start, with the No. 88 often experiencing bad luck during race day.
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