Connor Zilisch Wins Rain-Shortened Race at Monster Mile
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
DOVER, Del.—Lest anyone doubt the all-around natural racing talent of 18-year-old Connor Zilisch, the rookie claimed a series best fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series victory on the season in Saturday’s rain-shortened BetRivers 200 at the one-mile Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.
Zilisch led 77 of the race’s 134 laps in his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet before NASCAR was forced to call the scheduled 200-lap race early because of rain. A pair of Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas, driven by former NASCAR Cup Series veteran Aric Almirola and Xfinity regular Brandon Jones rounded out the top three.
Although he qualified third – three rookies topped the starting grid – Zilisch ran first or second for most of the race, ultimately taking the lead for good on the restart following the Stage 2 break.
“We’ve been showing it lately,’’ a smiling Zilisch said when he was informed on pit road the race was official and he was the winner. “First of all I hate that we couldn’t finish the race the right way. Aric [Almirola] was really fast and was going to give me a run for my money. Props to him for making me work for it.
“Still really proud of this Junior Motorsports team. … We capitalized on all fronts, had good pit stops both stages and put ourselves in a position to be in the right spot when the rain fell. Very thankful.”
Zilisch’s win total is best in the series. And the North Carolina teenager has been so good this summer that that he’s now on an eight-race top-five streak that includes three wins and three runner-up finishes for an average finish of 2.25. He’s led laps in 15 of the 20 races.
Even before making his fulltime NASCAR debut this season, Zilisch was a multi-race winner in the sports car ranks with huge victories in the biggest races on the schedule – last year’s Daytona 24 hour and Sebring 12 hour endurance classics.
Not too surprisingly, he immediately proved himself a road-course ace when given the NASCAR Xfinity Series opportunity, even winning from pole position in his first series start at historic Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International last summer.
He answered that resoundingly this year as a full-time competitor, hoisting trophies at Circuit of the Americas and Sonoma, Calif. road courses, but also proving his oval-metal winning at the 2.5-mile Pocono (Pa.) Raceway last month and now adding the one-miler to an increasingly broad resume.
Zilisch’s effort at Dover’s Monster Mile moves him into second place in the championship standings – 56 points behind points leader – and his JR Motorsports teammate, and the reigning series champ – Justin Allgaier, who finished fourth Saturday.
Zilisch’s best friend, Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love was fifth at Dover, followed by Ryan Sieg, polesitter Taylor Gray, Sheldon Creed and rookies William Sawalich and Christian Eckes rounding out the top 10.
“It’s been awesome and I feel like even when we miss a little bit we’re still a top-five car and being able to go the race track and know that in the back of your head has definitely been comforting and confidence inspiring every weekend,’’ Zilisch said. “Gotta keep knocking the door down with wins.”
Jeb Burton, who finished 20th, now holds a seven-point advantage on his cousin Harrison Burton for the 12th and final Playoff-eligible position in points.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to action next Saturday at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. NASCAR Cup Series regular Riley Herbst is the defending race winner.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Number 20
Race Results for the BetRivers 200 - Saturday, July 19, 2025
Dover Motor Speedway - Dover, DE - 1. - Mile Concrete
Total Race Length - 134 Laps - 134. Miles
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Saturday, 7/19/2025 @ 07:17 PM Eastern
Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Stage 1 Pos Stage 2 Pos Pts Status Tms Laps Playoff Pts
1 3 88 Connor Zilisch # Carolina Carports Chevrolet 134 4 1 57 Running 2 77 6
2 6 19 Aric Almirola Young Life Toyota 134 2 2 53 Running
3 4 20 Brandon Jones Menards/Schultz Toyota 134 3 3 51 Running 1 5
4 7 7 Justin Allgaier Registix Chevrolet 134 7 4 44 Running
5 12 2 Jesse Love Whelen Chevrolet 134 9 7 38 Running
6 19 39 Ryan Sieg Sci Aps Ford 134 5 37 Running
7 1 54 Taylor Gray # Operation 300 Toyota 134 1 40 Running 1 49 1
8 11 00 Sheldon Creed Friends of Jaclyn Ford 134 10 8 33 Running
9 8 18 William Sawalich # Soundgear Toyota 134 8 9 33 Running
10 31 16 Christian Eckes # Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic Chevrolet 134 27 Running
11 9 25 Harrison Burton Morton Buildings Ford 134 26 Running
12 13 41 Sam Mayer Audibel Ford 134 25 Running
13 15 21 Austin Hill Titan Risk Solutions Chevrolet 134 10 25 Running
14 18 99 Matt DiBenedetto Viking Motorsports Chevrolet 134 23 Running
15 14 1 Carson Kvapil # Bass Pro Shops/Clarience Tech Chevrolet 134 22 Running
16 20 26 Dean Thompson # Thompson Pipe Group/Legends Toyota 134 21 Running
17 21 17 Jake Finch HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 134 20 Running
18 32 24 Ryan Truex New Jersey State Police Toyota 134 19 Running
19 27 4 Parker Retzlaff Fix Your Lid Chevrolet 134 18 Running
20 10 27 Jeb Burton FasTrack Auto Transport Chevrolet 134 17 Running
21 30 10 Daniel Dye # Champion Container Chevrolet 134 16 Running
22 16 32 Rajah Caruth(i) Events DC Chevrolet 134 0 Running
23 26 42 Anthony Alfredo Lanita Specialized Chevrolet 134 14 Running
24 17 8 Sammy Smith Pilot Chevrolet 134 13 Running
25 23 44 Brennan Poole Clark's/CW & Sons Chevrolet 134 12 Running
26 28 51 Jeremy Clements BG Crane Services/Alliance Chevrolet 134 11 Running
27 29 11 Josh Williams Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet 134 10 Running
28 22 45 Lavar Scott Mongoose Power Solutions Chevrolet 134 9 Running
29 25 70 Leland Honeyman LH Construction Chevrolet 133 8 Running
30 34 71 Ryan Ellis Englert/Sila Services Chevrolet 131 7 Running
31 36 5 Kaz Grala(i) Ferguson Chevrolet 131 0 Running
32 24 31 Blaine Perkins Werner Chevrolet 131 5 Running
33 38 07 Nick Leitz DexerDry.com Chevrolet 131 4 Running
34 33 91 Josh Bilicki Rita's Italian Ice Chevrolet 131 3 Running
35 37 14 Garrett Smithley Camp Barnes Chevrolet 131 2 Running
36 35 28 Kyle Sieg IMS Ford 131 1 Running 1 3
37 2 48 Nick Sanchez # Big Machine Label Group Chevrolet 107 6 6 Steering
38 5 9 Ross Chastain(i) Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet 106 5 6 0 Rear Gear
Fastest Lap Bonus: # lap 101 / 23.943
20
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 15 Mins, 51 Secs. Average Speed: 105.999 MPH Margin of Victory: Under Caution
Stage 1 Top 10: 54, 19, 20, 88, 9, 48, 7, 18, 2, 00
Stage 2 Top 10: 88, 19, 20, 7, 39, 9, 2, 00, 18, 21
Race Comments: Connor Zilisch won the 44th running of the BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway, his fifth victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Prior to the start of the race, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field under penalty for the reasons indicated: Nos. 07, 51, 7 (unapproved adjustments).
Failed to Qualify: (2) 35 Glen Reen, 53 David Starr.
Caution Flags: 3 for 18 laps; Laps: 47-54 (Stage 1 Conclusion [11]); 92-99 (Stage 2 Conclusion [45]); 133-134 (Rain [70]).
Lead Changes: 4 among 4 drivers; T. Gray # 1-49; B. Jones 50-54; C. Zilisch # 55-95; K. Sieg 96-98; C. Zilisch # 99-134.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Next Race: July 26, 2025 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications @ P.O. Box 2875, Daytona Beach, FL 32120-2875
CURRENT NASCAR XFINITY SERIES STANDINGS
POS NO. DRIVER MFR +/-
1 88 Connor Zilisch 4 WINS
2 7 Justin Allgaier 3 WINS
3 21 Austin Hill 3 WINS
4 20 Brandon Jones 1 WIN
5 8 Sammy Smith 1 WINS
6 2 Jesse Love 1 WIN
7 48 Nicholas Sanchez 1 WIN
8 41 Sam Mayer +162
9 1 Carson Kvapil +88
10 00 Sheldon Creed +61
11 54 Taylor Gray +36
12 27 Jeb Burton +7
On The Bubble
13 25 Harrison Burton -7
14 39 Ryan Sieg -30
15 26 Dean Thompson -62
16 16 Christian Ecke -71
17 10 Daniel Dye -85
18 44 Brennan Poole -117
19 11 Josh Williams -136
20 51 Jeremy Clements -153
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