Rising NASCAR star Connor Zilisch, who competes full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the powerhouse JR Motorsports organization co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., will miss this weekend’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, the team announced Wednesday.
The news came four days after Zilisch wrecked out of the Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, suffering a lower back injury in the crash.
So, when will he return to action and who will fill the seat of his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet on Saturday afternoon in Texas?
Kyle Larson To Sub For Connor Zilisch In NASCAR Xfinity Series Event
Although Connor Zilisch certainly would rather not miss the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series race, at least his fill-in happens to be arguably the most talented driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.
That driver — Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson — is currently runner-up in the Cup Series standings and owns a pair of Cup victories in 2025.
Given that Larson’s team owner, NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick, is a co-owner of JR Motorsports, Larson was a natural fit to take over for Zilisch in Texas. Larson has made a pair of Xfinity Series starts so far in 2025, finishing fourth at Homestead-Miami Speedway and winning from the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway in his most recent start in NASCAR’s No. 2 division.
However, in those races, Larson wheeled a No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet being shared this year by five drivers over a 16-race NASCAR Xfinity Series slate. This time, he’ll be in a car for JR Motorsports — a Hendrick Motorsports affiliate that captured the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship with driver Justin Allgaier.
“Thank you to Kyle Larson for stepping up for me this weekend and everyone who has helped me through this process,” Zilisch posted Wednesday evening on X. “Doing everything I can to be back as soon as possible.”
Thank you to @KyleLarsonRacin for stepping up for me this weekend and everyone who has helped me through this process. Doing everything I can to be back as soon as possible❤️ https://t.co/BMbM6DFeqj
— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) April 30, 2025
No Timetable Has Been Set For Connor Zilisch’s NASCAR Return
It’s clear from Connor Zilisch’s post on X that his return date to NASCAR Xfinity Series competition is up in the air. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that the series is actually off the two weekends after Texas, which will give the 18-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina native almost a full three weeks to heal from his injury.
In another bit of good news, it’s also likely that NASCAR will grant Zilisch a medical waiver that would allow him to remain championship-eligible despite missing a race.
Zilisch, a Trackhouse Racing development driver and Red Bull athlete, is essentially being loaned out to JR Motorsports for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
In his first year as a full-time Xfinity competitor, Zilisch has been impressive despite experiencing a few growing pains. Eleven races into the schedule, he’s sixth in the standings and owns three top-10 finishes that include a win from the pole at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Zilisch also owns another Xfinity Series victory, which came last year at Watkins Glen International when making his series debut as part of a four-race schedule. Zilisch triumphed from the pole in that race, as well, and went on to finish fourth or better in three of his four starts.
