Connor Zilisch weighs in as replacement driver Kyle Larson clinches Texas victory

Connor Zilisch broke his silence after missing the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Larson stepped in as his substitute and drove the No. 88 JR Motorsports car to victory.

The race at Texas on Saturday afternoon was expected to be a routine outing for rising star Connor Zilisch. However, a crash the previous week at Talladega changed those plans. After a hard last-lap hit into the SAFER barriers, Zilisch’s team made the call to have him sit out.

Kyle Larson was brought in midweek to race in his place. The Cup Series Champion delivered a standout performance that not only showcased his talent but also the strength of the No. 88 team.

Recovering from his injury Zilisch spoke and shared his thoughts on Larson's performance and the missed racing opportunity. While pleased with his team's success, he admitted it stung not being in the driver’s seat.

“Yeah, I know it's great to see the team in victory lane and you know, I think coming into the weekend, it was it was almost the expectation with with Kyle driving the car. He's so talented and um you know, it's great great for our team.” [0:11 onwards]

He added, “There's not really much bitter in me other than the fact that I had to miss this race um no matter the outcome. Um, but I'm really proud of my my 88, you know, uh, Blues Hog Chevrolet team. They did a great job today”

Larson, who started 20th, dealt with an early penalty but worked his way through the field twice. He led 32 of 208 laps, made a decisive pit stop with 12 laps remaining, and took the lead in the second overtime. He pulled away to win by 1.265 seconds over Taylor Gray. This was Larson’s second win of the Xfinity season, his second at Texas, and his first with JR Motorsports.

The back injury that forced Connor Zilisch to sit out came from a crash at the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega the previous weekend.

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Connor Zilisch speaks about his Talladega crash with Jesse Love

Just a week before the Texas race, Connor Zilisch’s season took an unexpected turn at Talladega. In the final lap of the Ag-Pro 300, while leading the race, Zilisch was hit by his best friend Jesse Love. Both were trying to hold position, and when Love’s car tapped Zilisch’s, it triggered a crash that sent Zilisch headfirst into the backstretch SAFER barrier. He finished P27.

The crash resulted in Connor Zilisch complaining of back pain over the radio. He was taken to the infield care center for evaluation. After undergoing X-rays, Zilisch was cleared of any serious injuries but was sore enough for the team to rest him for the Texas weekend.

After the crash, Jesse Love rushed to the care center to check on Zilisch. In an emotional exchange, Love apologized, and Zilisch, despite the outcome, appreciated his friend’s concern. Speaking with Bob Pockrass, Zilisch recalled,

"Yeah, he was just crying in there; he just wanted to make sure I was okay. He doesn't want to hurt his best friend, and I wouldn't want to do that to him.”

Looking back at the race, Connor Zilisch admitted he was trying to keep Love behind him and might have misjudged the spacing. He said,

"I was just trying to keep him in my mirror... Maybe I should have just given him the run,"

Connor Zilisch, after undergoing medical checks and X-rays, was cleared of serious injury. Still, out of caution, JR Motorsports chose to rest him ahead of the two-week break.