NASCAR Xfinity qualifying potentially at risk of delay amid lightning at Daytona

The Xfinity Series qualifying session at Daytona International Speedway could be delayed due to lightning, as per veteran NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass. The session was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET, ahead of the race later on Friday evening (August 22) at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Since racetracks are wide and open, lightning poses a serious safety risk to everyone, including pit crews and fans. In fact, in 2012, a fan was killed by lightning at Pocono Raceway, which prompted NASCAR to take a stricter stance on such situations.

Pockrass shared the update on X from the iconic superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

“Currently under a lightning hold here at Daytona. Could delay Xfinity qualifying, scheduled for 3p ET on CW.”

Bob Pockrass

@bobpockrass

Currently under a lightning hold here at Daytona. Could delay Xfinity qualifying, scheduled for 3p ET on CW.

This week's Xfinity Series race will field 38 drivers, including Cup Series and Spire Motorsports driver Justin Haley, who will pilot the #11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing. Craftsman Truck Series regular Rajah Caruth will also join the fray in the #32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevy.

Notably, Connor Zilisch is set to return to racing following his incident in victory lane at Watkins Glen International, where he was hospitalized after falling while celebrating on top of his racecar. The 19-year-old NASCAR driver currently leads the standings with six wins, three more than JR Motorsports teammate and reigning series champion Justin Allgaier.

The Wawa 250 at Daytona is the third-to-last regular season race of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. It will be followed by races at Portland International Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway, while the Cup Series kicks off its Round of 16.

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NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass asked Connor Zilisch if he can complete 100 laps amid injury

On Thursday, NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass caught up with Connor Zilisch, who is recovering from a collarbone injury. Pockrass asked whether Zilisch could complete 100 laps, to which the young driver replied that it would depend on how he felt, with Parker Kligerman ready to step in if needed.

The #88 JR Motorsports driver said (via Bob Pockrass on X):

“We'll see about that. Parker's obviously going to be here, and we fitted him in the car, and he's gonna be ready to go. And, odds are that, just with the risk of having a wreck at Daytona... my wreck at Talladega, I had black and blue bruises down, down both of my shoulders from the belts, and just the impact on that. So, I don't know if I'm gonna run the entire race or get out at a caution.” [0:49].

“It's probably just gonna be how I feel. And how I feel doesn't really matter, because if a wreck happens, things could get much worse, really quickly. So yeah, really looking at the risk versus the reward,” he added.

Connor Zilisch is coming off a win from Watkins Glen International - Source: Imagn

Parker Kligerman, meanwhile, was honored to be on standby for the No. 88 JRM Chevy at Daytona. He enters the Wawa 250 with two consecutive top-five finishes in the past two Daytona Xfinity summer races. Off the track, he serves as an analyst for The CW Sports, the exclusive broadcaster of the second-tier series.