Connor Zilisch officially earned his seventh win of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, but Friday night’s Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway played out in a way few fans expected. Zilisch, recovering from a broken collarbone, started the race in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet before Parker Kligerman took over under the first caution. Kligerman guided the car across the finish line first in a dramatic 104-lap contest, while Zilisch received the statistical credit for the victory but no Playoff Points.
Key Highlights
Connor Zilisch credited with seventh 2025 Xfinity Series win; Parker Kligerman drove the car to the finish.
Race ended under caution in overtime at 104 laps at Daytona International Speedway.
Sam Smith and Justin Allgaier completed a JR Motorsports 1-2-3 finish.
Harrison Burton survived multiple crashes and a debris-filled cockpit to finish 16th, maintaining Playoff points lead.
Next race in the regular season is the Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway.
Zilisch and Kligerman: Teamwork in Action
From the first caution, it was clear that Friday night’s Wawa 250 would be unusual. Zilisch, two weeks removed from surgery for a broken collarbone, made the decision to step out of the car, allowing Kligerman to take the wheel.
“These cars aren’t meant to do it, but everybody did a great job And we were able to do it really quickly, the quickest we did it all week.” – Kligerman
The two drivers practiced the swap throughout the week to ensure a smooth transition. Once behind the wheel, Kligerman focused entirely on protecting Zilisch’s car and bringing it home to victory.
“No, I was thinking of you the whole time. I cannot let this guy down. I was saying all week, I’ll be a footnote in this guy’s 19 Cup championships he has ahead of him.” – Kligerman
Zilisch expressed relief that the strategy worked and pride in Kligerman’s execution.
“I feel like this place owed him a win, and it was really cool.”
“I’ve never really been in that position other than maybe multi-class racing or when Kyle [Larson] ran my car at Texas. But I feel like Kyle was expected to win, so I wasn’t as excited as I was today.” – Zilisch
Race Recap and Top Finishes
The Wawa 250 was a tightly contested race, ending under caution in overtime on Lap 104. Parker Kligerman crossed the finish line first, but the victory officially went to Zilisch. Sammy Smith held off Justin Allgaier to take second, with Allgaier finishing third in a JR Motorsports sweep. Jesse Love and Sam Mayer rounded out the top-five, while Brandon Jones, Dean Thompson, Garrett Smithley, Brennan Poole, and Carson Kvapil completed the top-ten.
The final lap was chaotic, with Austin Hill and several other competitors caught in a late-race melee. Hill, who had been running near the top-five, fell to 25th, while Leland Honeyman finished 26th after another crash ended his potential strong run.
Harrison Burton endured a night full of challenges. Starting with radio issues, he was spun on Lap 12 by Matt DiBenedetto and suffered cockpit debris injuries. Despite these setbacks and involvement in late-race crashes, he finished 16th and preserved his Playoff points lead over cousin Jeb Burton and Ryan Sieg.
“It’s been 10 days since surgery, and I have full range of motion. It’s a little tight, but no pain. Hopefully, next weekend we’ll return to normal.” Zilisch
Playoff Implications and Standings
With the Wawa 250 concluded, Harrison Burton holds a 36-point advantage over Jeb Burton and a 56-point lead over Ryan Sieg for the final Playoff slot. Connor Zilisch entered Daytona with a seven-point lead over teammate Justin Allgaier in the regular-season championship but left trailing by three points due to Allgaier’s third-place finish and Stage Win.
The drama of the regular-season finale is now set for Portland International Raceway. Zilisch, Allgaier, and other title contenders will have one last chance to influence standings and Playoff seeding. The Pacific Office Automation 147 will air on The CW, with radio coverage on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
| No. | Car | Driver |
| 1 | 88 | Connor Zilisch # / Parker Kligerman |
| 2 | 8 | Sammy Smith |
| 3 | 7 | Justin Allgaier |
| 4 | 2 | Jesse Love |
| 5 | 41 | Sam Mayer |
| 6 | 20 | Brandon Jones |
| 7 | 26 | Dean Thompson # |
| 8 | 14 | Garrett Smithley |
| 9 | 44 | Brennan Poole |
| 10 | 1 | Carson Kvapil # |
| 11 | 71 | Ryan Ellis |
| 12 | 18 | William Sawalich # |
| 13 | 7 | Patrick Emerling (i) |
| 14 | 31 | Blaine Perkins |
| 15 | 35 | Mason Maggio |
| 16 | 25 | Harrison Burton |
| 17 | 0 | Sheldon Creed |
| 18 | 91 | Josh Bilicki |
| 19 | 11 | Justin Haley (i) |
| 20 | 27 | Jeb Burton |
| 21 | 53 | Joey Gase |
| 22 | 92 | Natalie Decker |
| 23 | 48 | Nick Sanchez # |
| 24 | 19 | Aric Almirola |
| 25 | 21 | Austin Hill |
| 26 | 70 | Leland Honeyman |
| 27 | 28 | Kyle Sieg |
| 28 | 5 | Caesar Bacarella |
| 29 | 32 | Rajah Caruth (i) |
| 30 | 54 | Taylor Gray # |
| 31 | 39 | Ryan Sieg |
| 32 | 16 | Christian Eckes |
| 33 | 99 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 34 | 45 | Josh Williams |
| 35 | 10 | Daniel Dye # |
| 36 | 51 | Jeremy Clements |
| 37 | 42 | Anthony Alfredo |
| 38 | 4 | Parker Retzlaff |
News in Brief: Complete 2025 Daytona Xfinity Results
Connor Zilisch was credited with his seventh 2025 Xfinity Series win after Parker Kligerman drove the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to victory at Daytona in the Wawa 250. The race ended under overtime caution at 104 laps, with Sammy Smith and Justin Allgaier finishing second and third for a JR Motorsports sweep. Harrison Burton overcame multiple crashes and cockpit debris to finish 16th and preserve his Playoff lead. One race remains in the regular season at Portland International Raceway, where championship and Playoff positions will be finalized. Watch the action live on The CW and MRN.
ALSO READ: Connor Zilisch Speaks Out on Controversial Daytona Safety Plan!
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Who won the Xfinity race at Daytona?
A. Parker Kligerman, serving as a relief driver, captured the NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Daytona on behalf of Connor Zilisch and JR Motorsports.
Q. Is Xfinity going to end title sponsorship of NASCAR Xfinity Series after 2025?
A. Starting in 2026, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will no longer carry the Xfinity name, as O’Reilly Auto Parts has been confirmed as the new title sponsor.
