Connor Zilisch will not race in this Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Texas Motor Speedway following a crash at Talladega that left him with lower back injuries. The incident occurred late in the race, and as a result, Zilisch is sidelined for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300.
In his place, JR Motorsports has tapped Cup Series driver Kyle Larson to pilot the No. 88 Chevrolet. Larson, who races full-time for Hendrick Motorsports, has already competed in two Xfinity Series events this season but hasn’t driven for JR Motorsports since 2022, when he secured a win at Watkins Glen.
Larson’s recent Xfinity outings include a fourth-place finish at Homestead-Miami after losing the lead on a late restart and a dominant win at Bristol. His experience makes him a solid substitute for the 18-year-old Zilisch, who is currently sixth in the points standings.
Due to the nature of his injury, Zilisch is expected to be granted a playoff waiver, which would maintain his postseason eligibility thanks to his earlier victory at Circuit of the Americas.
Zilisch expressed disappointment on social media, sharing that although he’s sore, he’s more upset about not being able to finish the race for his team. He remains optimistic, saying wins will come if they keep running up front.
Fortunately, the timing of the injury gives him a natural break, as the Xfinity Series has two off weeks. This provides Zilisch with about four weeks to recover before the May 24 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.