Connor Zilisch has won the NASCAR Xfinity Series 2025 Season in a thrilling race at the Circuit of the Americas. Zilisch was tested to the limit in COTA’s Focused Health 250. He overcame contact and penalties as well as fierce competition.
Analyze the performances of key athletes and determine their fate.
NASCAR Xfinity Series: COTA 2025 – The standout performers
Connor Zilisch: A Stellar Victory after a Setback
Connor Zilisch’s victory was a tale of redemption. A pit road violation on lap 17 sent him back to the rear of the pack after he started on pole and led early. But the young man showed great composure as he made his way through traffic.
Zilisch and Carson Kvapil had a fierce duel despite Zilisch’s damaged front right fender after contact with Corey Heim. With nine laps left, Zilisch made a decisive move on Kvapil by capitalizing on Kvapil’s locked brakes at Turn 20. This solidified his status as an emerging star on NASCAR’s road-course racing scene.
After his Watkins Glen win in 2024, Zilisch’s second Xfinity victory marked a personal triumph, and extended Chevrolet’s winning streak at the start of the season. Zilisch’s growth and skills were showcased in a difficult race. It made him a contender for the Xfinity Series Championship. In a race-after interview, Connor discussed the difficulties and their struggle to overcome them despite driving a “clean race”.
William Byron: Cup Series Talent Shines Through
William Byron is a Daytona 500 winner twice over. He showed his prowess on the road by placing second in his very first Xfinity Series race of 2025. Byron avoided any major accidents and took advantage of Kvapil’s tire failure late to finish in second place. Hendrick Motorsports’ strength was evident in his performance, which mirrored the victory he achieved at the COTA Cup 2024 race.
JR Motorsports A strong team showing
JR Motorsports was successful in all aspects, as three of their drivers finished among the top 10 finishers. Sam Mayer, who is a consistent driver, also secured a third place finish. Carson Kvapil had a disappointing day, but his performance earlier, where he led seven laps showed promise. Justin Allgaier struggled with his day, finishing 29th.
This team has shown it is ready to compete for the championship this year.
Jesse Love: Consistent Points Haul
Jesse Love’s 6th-place finish was not flashy but it strengthened his title bid. Richard Childress Racing’s driver, Austin Hill, is just 13 points away from the lead in the championship standings.
William Sawalich: Impressive Rookie Performance
William Sawalich (18-years-old) achieved a best-ever ninth place finish on his only third Xfinity Series appearance. Sawalich displayed maturity and skill by avoiding incidents which plagued experienced drivers Sheldon Creed, Riley Herbst and others.
NASCAR Xfinity Series 2025 COTA: Drivers Face Disappointment
Carson Kvapil: Heartbreak After Leading
After a dominating start, Carson Kvapil suffered heartbreak. A flat tire on his right front tire ended Kvapil’s hopes of winning the race after he led seven laps. The result was disappointing, especially after he exceeded expectations with his 8th career start. He showed potential for the rest of the season and had a car capable of competing in the front.
Justin Allgaier: Momentum Stalled
Justin Allgaier’s race began to unravel early. After Stage 1, a restart violation, a penalty for speeding, and contact with Zilisch, he lost a lap. The 29th place finish dropped him from sixth to seventh in the points standings. This was a major setback for an experienced driver who is aiming for championship.
Harrison Burton: The Mechanical Woes of the Film Continue
Harrison Burton was able to win Stage 2 and give us a glimpse of hope. However, an axle failure led him to finish 35th. Despite the setback, he still has a strong start in the Xfinity Series. There is a lot of racing to be done.
Corey Heim: Contact ends promising run
Corey Heim, who was in the top 5 before Zilisch’s aggressive move in Turn 15, sent him into the ground. This incident caused damage to his No. A disappointing finish of 31st place for the 24 Toyota was a sad outcome.
Riley Herbst’s Faded after Contact
Riley Herbst had to deal with a fender-rub after Connor Zilisch’s contact caused a rub on the left side of his front fender. He struggled to adjust due to traffic, late race cautions and a lack of speed.
You can also read our conclusion.
Jesse Love, and his JR Motorsports crew, are likely to put pressure on Austin Hill. The points leader, who came in fourth at the short-track race held by Phoenix, is expected to be under intense pressure. Focused Health 250 in COTA was a race filled with surprises and compelling storylines. It set the scene for an exciting Xfinity Series Season. For its next race, the series moves to Phoenix.
Xfinity Cota: Focused Health 25 Results
- C. Zilisch (Chevrolet · #88) – Finished – 40 pts
- W. Byron (Chevrolet · #17) – Finished – 0 pts
- S. Mayer (Ford · #41) – Finished – 41 pts
- A. Hill (Chevrolet · #21) – Finished – 38 pts
- C. Eckes (Chevrolet · #16) – Finished – 36 pts
- J. Love (Chevrolet · #2) – Finished – 31 pts
- T. Gray (Toyota · #54) – Finished – 30 pts
- R. Chastain (Chevrolet · #9) – Finished – 0 pts
- W. Sawalich (Toyota · #18) – Finished – 28 pts
- B. Perkins (Chevrolet · #31) – Finished – 27 pts
- S. Smith (Chevrolet · #8) – Finished – 37 pts
- S. Creed (Ford · #00) – Finished – 25 pts
- R. Herbst (Toyota · #19) – Finished – 0 pts
- A. Labbé (Chevrolet · #07) – Finished – 28 pts
- J. Williams (Chevrolet · #11) – Finished – 25 pts
- R. Ellis (Chevrolet · #71) – Finished – 21 pts
- D. Dye (Chevrolet · #10) – Finished – 29 pts
- D. Thompson (Toyota · #26) – Finished – 19 pts
- R. Sieg (Ford · #39) – Finished – 24 pts
- B. Poole (Chevrolet · #44) – Finished – 22 pts
- A. Alfredo (Chevrolet · #42) – Finished – 18 pts
- J. Bilicki (Chevrolet · #91) – Finished – 15 pts
- C. Kvapil (Chevrolet · #1) – Finished – 15 pts
- N. Sanchez (Chevrolet · #48) – Finished – 13 pts
- J. Burton (Chevrolet · #27) – Finished – 19 pts
- A. Green (Chevrolet · #32) – Finished – 11 pts
- K. Sieg (Ford · #28) – Finished – 11 pts
- J. Clements (Chevrolet · #51) – Finished – 9 pts
- J. Allgaier (Chevrolet · #7) – Finished – 14 pts
- B. Jones (Toyota · #20) – Finished – 7 pts
- C. Heim (Toyota · #24) – Finished – 0 pts
- M. DiBenedetto (Chevrolet · #99) – Finished – 5 pts
- K. Wright (Chevrolet · #5) – Finished – 4 pts
- S. Karam (Toyota · #53) – DNF – 5 pts
- H. Burton (Ford · #25) – DNF – 12 pts
- P. Pardus (Chevrolet · #50) – DNF – 1 pt
- B. Leguizamón (Chevrolet · #35) – DNF – 1 pt
- C. Hocevar (Chevrolet · #14) – DNF – 0 pts