Kyle Larson will step in as a substitute for the injured Connor Zilisch in this Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, filling the seat of the JR Motorsports No. 88 car. This decision comes after Zilisch, just 18 years old, suffered a lower back injury following a last-lap crash at Talladega Superspeedway. The change was swiftly announced to ensure the team remains competitive while Zilisch recovers.
Connor Zilisch, who has made headlines with his performance this season, expressed both gratitude and disappointment in a public statement. “Thank you to @KyleLarsonRacin (Kyle Larson) for stepping up for me this weekend and everyone who has helped me through this process,” Zilisch shared on X. “Doing everything I can to be back as soon as possible.” Currently sixth in the series points, Zilisch earned a significant victory at Circuit of the Americas in March and celebrated a remarkable debut win with JR Motorsports last fall at Watkins Glen.
Kyle Larson, on the other hand, has already shown his strength in the Xfinity Series this year, securing a win and a fourth-place finish in two starts for Hendrick Motorsports. The 2021 Cup Series champion previously picked up an Xfinity victory with JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen in 2022, demonstrating a solid track record at this level. Larson’s competitive spirit was on display recently during his appearance on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, where he remarked, “In Xfinity, I do get motivated, and this is going to come across like very cocky, but I want to embarrass them, honestly. I want to embarrass NASCAR a little bit because they just don’t let Cup guys run anymore, and the kids probably think they’re in a good spot and they don’t know where the bar really is at.”
Larson’s busy weekend will also include races in both the Cup Series and appearances behind the wheel of a Sprint Car at Texas Motor Speedway’s Dirt Track. Fans and analysts alike are watching closely to see if Kyle Larson’s ambitious schedule and competitive edge will translate into another Xfinity Series victory, while the absence of Zilisch invites questions about the season’s trajectory and the No. 88 team’s resilience amidst sudden setbacks.
