Kyle Larson to replace Dale Jr.’s NASCAR prodigy at Texas Motor Speedway

Kyle Larson will fill in for Connor Zilisch in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Zilisch, currently sixth in the series standings, suffered a lower back injury during a last-lap crash at Talladega.

Though the initial X-rays were clear and Zilisch said he was “all good” after the hit, JR Motorsports later confirmed he would not be medically cleared to race in Texas. NASCAR Xfinity's official account announced the replacement via a post on X, confirming that Larson will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. The tweet read,

"NEWS: @ConnorZilisch will not compete in the #XfinitySeries race this weekend at @TXMotorSpeedway. @KyleLarsonRacin will drive the No. 88 @JRMotorsports Chevrolet."

Kyle Larson is a 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion and is currently second in the 2025 Cup Series standings. He’s also one of the most experienced drivers in the field, with 31 Cup wins and 16 Xfinity wins under his belt, including one earlier this season at Bristol.

Connor Zilisch suffered a lower back injury during the final moments of the Talladega race on Saturday. Zilisch was battling for the lead when he attempted to block a run from Jesse Love, which led to contact. The No. 88 car was turned and hit the inside wall head-on.

The 18-year-old driver is sixth in the Xfinity Series points standings and had won at Circuit of the Americas earlier in the season. His absence is a blow to the team’s momentum. JR Motorsports issued a formal statement confirming the replacement, citing Zilisch’s recovery needs as the reason for bringing in Kyle Larson.

The injury has also raised questions about playoff eligibility. Because Zilisch is missing the Texas race for medical reasons, he can still retain his points tally. However, his team must file for a waiver with NASCAR to confirm his spot in the playoffs.

NASCAR usually approves waivers in such cases, but it’s a required formality.The Xfinity Series will take a two-week break after the Texas round, skipping both Kansas and North Wilkesboro.

Zilisch is scheduled to return to Charlotte for both the Xfinity and Cup Series races during Memorial Day weekend, provided his recovery stays on track.

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“We’ll revisit this in 15 years, maybe,” says Kyle Larson on repeating the Double in 2026

In addition to his NASCAR duties, Kyle Larson is competing part-time in IndyCar this year with Arrow McLaren. He is one of seven part-time drivers scheduled to race in the Indianapolis 500. In 2024, Larson attempted the rare Indy 500–Coca-Cola 600 double, planning to race in both events on the same day.

However, weather complications disrupted his schedule. A delayed start in Indianapolis meant that Larson was unable to make it to Charlotte in time for the NASCAR race. Despite this setback, Larson had been widely praised for taking on the challenge of competing in two high-intensity events across different disciplines within hours.

When asked recently if he planned to repeat the Double in 2026, Larson downplayed the possibility. Speaking to journalist Nathan Brown, the 32-year-old said,

“We’ll revisit this in 15 years, maybe. I don’t think there’s plans for next year currently, so we’ll make it good this time.”

The comment confirms that Larson and his teams—Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports—have no immediate intention of attempting the Double again next season. Currently, Kyle Larson is second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, just behind William Byron.