NASCAR Chevy Driver Gets Penalized, Wrecks, Still Wins Xfinity COTA 2025

Rookie Connor Zilisch made a statement in the Xfinity Series, schooling the competition—including several Cup Series regulars—at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) on March 1^st, 2025. And that was after he was sent to the tail end of the longest line for pitting too soon and slamming into a competitor, damaging his No. 88 NASCAR Chevy, in the final stage of the race.

Zilisch was penalized for pitting while Pit Road was closed during the race’s second caution flag. He was sent to the back of the field and restarted 32^nd. He was a man on a mission, though, and charged back through the field. Even though he had the speed, he couldn’t shake the No. 24 Toyota TRD Supra of Corey Heim in the closing laps.

The two racers made contact, punching in the right front fender of his No. 88 NASCAR Chevy, but it clearly didn’t affect the handling. Heim spun out, cutting a tire, while Zilisch continued his steady forward march through the pack.

Zilisch closed on leader Carson Kvapil, fellow Chevy driver, with less than 10 laps left. He muscled his way into the lead and didn’t look back until the checkers waved, finishing 1.639 seconds ahead of the second-place William Byron in the No. 17 Chevy.

“That was way harder than I wanted it to be,” said Zilisch. “I did not drive a clean race at all… I was kind of mentally fogged halfway through that race. I made way too many mistakes… I was glad we were able to fight back.”

Zilisch will make his Cup Series debut at COTA on March 2^nd, driving a NASCAR Chevy for Trackhouse Racing.

# – Rookie
i – Points ineligible
* – Part-time driver