Connor Zilisch’s Xfinity Series playoff performance faced a dramatic turn as his impressive race-winning streak came to an end at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night. In the first Xfinity Series Playoffs contest, Zilisch secured a fifth-place finish, ending his forty-one day run of consecutive wins and shifting the playoff dynamic.
Zilisch’s Playoff Run Stalls as Almirola Claims Bristol Victory
Aric Almirola crossed the finish line first at the Food City 300, while Zilisch, who had dominated recent races, found himself outside the winner’s circle for the first time in over a month. Despite leading an event-best 98 laps, Zilisch was caught out by late race strategy decisions when a caution for Carson Ware’s incident on lap 263 shuffled the field. Several leaders, including Zilisch, opted to pit for fresh tires with 35 laps to go, but eight competitors stayed out, using track position and older tires to their advantage. Navigating traffic, Zilisch managed to climb back to fifth by the checkered flag.
Reflecting on the close calls and tough choices during the race, Zilisch remarked,
“We had a winning car today, and we were in the right position. But those late-race calls to pit or not when you’re the leader are just really tough. … Those decisions are tough. And we do our best to make the right calls, but you know, it’s not easy to always make the right calls. We’ll learn from it and move on to Kansas.”
—Zilisch, Driver
Maintaining Momentum Despite the Setback
Although victory escaped him, Zilisch still scored the highest points total of the night, matching Aric Almirola with 52 points thanks in part to his Stage 2 win and finishing second in Stage 1. That performance bolstered his advantage above the playoff elimination line, giving his JR Motorsports Chevrolet team crucial breathing room heading into the next playoff race.
Zilisch commented on his playoff position, saying,
“I feel like we got a lot of points today and built our buffer to the cutline, got a stage win, so overall, good day,”
—Zilisch, Driver
An Unprecedented Streak Comes to an End
The No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet had appeared nearly unstoppable across the eight events before Bristol. Zilisch set off on his remarkable four-race win streak at Watkins Glen International on August 9, despite an accident in Victory Lane causing a broken collarbone. Undeterred, he returned without missing a round, starting at Daytona International Speedway where Parker Kligerman subbed mid-race and ultimately won — a result still credited to Zilisch.
He added further wins at Portland International Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, conquering circuits he had never tackled before. These feats established the young driver as a force in this year’s Xfinity Series Playoffs and increased expectations heading to Bristol.
Looking Forward to Kansas
At only nineteen years old, Zilisch expressed resolve after his Bristol setback, stating,
“When you’re upset with fifth place, you’re doing something right,”
—Zilisch, Driver. He also added,
“We’ll keep building on it and get better in Kansas. But I know that we are heading in the right direction as a team and things are looking upward. And we’re leading lots of laps and putting ourselves in position.”
—Zilisch, Driver
This historic run of success, marked by victories at iconic tracks and overcoming both on-track and physical setbacks, underscores both Zilisch’s potential and the high expectations placed on the JR Motorsports outfit. With the next playoff round approaching at Kansas, all eyes remain on how Zilisch and the team will respond as the fight for the Xfinity Series title intensifies.
