Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports has made some massive strides in recent years. They made their Cup Series debut in 2025 at the Daytona 500 with Justin Allgaier and got a top-10 finish. This was after Allgaier secured JRM’s 4th Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway last season! However, the brightest star in their current Xfinity roster is just a teenager, and this young gun is already rewriting history.
Nearly nine years ago, current Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman put JR Motorsports’ No. 88 car on the pole in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Menards 250 at Michigan International Speedway. He was just one-hundredth of a second faster than second-place driver Erik Jones. But, since then, the No. 88 car hasn’t seen an oval pole—until now. Nearly a decade later, the drought has finally ended, and it’s not a veteran driver making history at Martinsville Speedway. Instead, it’s a teenager who has quickly become one of the most talked-about prospects in NASCAR.
Connor Zilisch is set to prove he is more than just road courses
18-year-old Connor Zilisch has shown remarkable promise during the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. His standout performance came at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), where he secured both the pole position and a commanding victory. His prowess on road courses was known to those closely following the lad. He won his debut Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen last season, which announced him on the national stage. However, his achievement ahead of the Martinsville weekend is turning heads!
Despite his success at COTA, Zilisch’s overall season has been a mix of highs and learning experiences. Currently, he sits seventh in the championship standings with 164 points, trailing leader Justin Allgaier by 85 points. Zilisch’s struggles? Superspeedways and ovals. He finished outside the top-25 at Daytona and Atlanta to start the season, and after his win at COTA, he slumped to 16th at Phoenix, a short-flat oval. However, ahead of the short track at Martinsville, Zilisch has secured the pole for the race in his JR Motorsports #88 Chevrolet, breaking a nine-year drought for the car!
Connor Zilisch’s recent achievement at Martinsville Speedway cements his growing reputation and shows why he is often touted as the ‘Next Big Thing in NASCAR.’ He clinched the pole position for the US Marine Corps 250 with a lap time of 95.213 MPH, narrowly edging out teammate Carson Kvapil, who posted a 95.089 MPH lap. This was also Zilisch’s first time driving an Xfinity Series car at Martinsville Speedway, adding more ammunition to his reputation as the best young gun around.
Connor Zilisch wins the pole for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville.
This is the first pole for the 88 car on an oval since Alex Bowman at Michigan in 2016, nearly 9 years ago. pic.twitter.com/4tYgPRjXv1
— NASCAR Insights (@NASCARInsights) March 28, 2025
Reflecting on his pole-winning run, Connor Zilisch expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Last time I was in here in the Truck I qualified, I think 27th. Went from completely one end of the spectrum to the other. Really proud of this entire Junior Motorsports team. We’ve had four fast cars at the track every week. Really excited to have this Carolina Carports Chevrolet up front for tomorrow.”
Evidently, Zilisch is seeing a monumental rise in his skill. As he mentioned, during his Truck Series appearance at Martinsville, Zilisch ended up with a 12th-place finish despite starting 27th. So who knows? Maybe he has conquered his mental demons with ovals after securing only the third pole of his Xfinity Series career, and the first at an oval.
As the season progresses, Connor Zilisch’s blend of raw talent and determination positions him as a formidable contender in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Fans and analysts alike will be keenly observing his development, anticipating more standout performances from this promising young driver.
Zilisch’s partnership with JR Motorsports – A promising alliance
In August 2024, JR Motorsports (JRM) announced that Connor Zilisch, a developmental driver for Trackhouse Racing and the defending Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona winner in the LMP2 class, would join their team full-time for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Piloting the iconic No. 88 Chevrolet, Zilisch’s addition was met with enthusiasm, reflecting JRM’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent.
Under the guidance of crew chief Mardy Lindley, who transitioned from the No. 1 team after a successful tenure with Sam Mayer, Zilisch has quickly adapted to the competitive environment of the Xfinity Series. Lindley’s extensive experience has been instrumental in Zilisch’s development, fostering a collaborative dynamic within the team. His first win of the season at COTA highlighted what we all knew about him, but the events leading up to it left a sour taste in team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s mouth.
Connor Zilisch was involved in an on-track incident with JR Motorsports teammate Carson Kvapil, which derailed the latter’s race. So, despite taking pride in the win, Dale Jr. put on his mentorship hat and spoke to Zilisch after the race. He said on the Dale Jr. Download following the race, “I talked to Connor after the race, and I said, ‘I trust you’ll clean that up.’ He felt pretty bad about how that all went down. We had the beer toast here the other day — of course, he did not have beer. He’s young, navigating the missteps… He’s a talented kid, gonna have a bright future, and learning how to be a better teammate.”
As the 2025 season unfolds, Zilisch is certainly taking big strides toward an eventual Cup Series seat. He even made his Cup Series debut at COTA that same week, but an early incident with Daniel Suarez ruined a promising run. Now, as he looks ahead to Martinsville after grabbing the pole, Zilisch would hope he can notch up his first oval win, and this time without wrecking his teammates.
What do you think? Can Connor Zilisch finally unlock a new gear and take victory at ‘The Paperclip’? Let us know in the comments!
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