XFINITY: Connor Zilisch Conquers ‘The Monster Mile’ in Rain-Shortened Race

Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Saturday at Dover Motor Speedway, Mother Nature tried to steal the spotlight from 18-year-old rookie sensation Connor Zilisch with a rain shower that ended the BetRivers 200 prematurely.

The event was declared official after 134 of 200 scheduled laps, once NASCAR decided they wouldn't have enough time to get the racetrack dry and start the race before sunset at 8:10 pm ET.

With the checkered flag being displayed, Zilisch earned his fifth victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series -- four of which have come this season, and two of which have come in consecutive weekends (after beating Shane van Gisbergen for the win at Sonoma).

The victory continues a mind-blowing run of eight consecutive top-five results in the NASCAR Xfinity Series -- which started at Charlotte Motor Speedway, after returning to competition after a back injury sustained on the final lap at Talladega Superspeedway.

“We’ve been showing it lately,” Zilisch said when asked about his recent run of finishes. “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, so props to him for being there and making me work for it.”

Race Results: 2025 NXS BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway

Saturday's event at Dover Motor Speedway was the latest example of the excellence that Zilisch brings to the racetrack each and every weekend, having only run one prior race at the one-mile concrete oval before Saturday -- that being an ARCA East event last season, which he won.

“Our car was as fast as Xfinity Mobile today, and we capitalized on all fronts,” Zilisch told The CW. “Had good pit stops both stages and our ourselves in a position to be out front when the rain fell.”

Aric Almirola brought home a second-place finish on the afternoon, in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start since Atlanta in June. Brandon Jones, his teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, was third.

Justin Allgaier, who had to start at the rear of the field after contact with the wall in qualifying, drove through the pack and earned a respectable fourth-place finish -- extending his regular-season points lead.

Jesse Love put together a quiet afternoon at Dover Motor Speedway, and rounded out the top-five. Ryan Sieg, Taylor Gray, Sheldon Creed, William Sawalich, and Christian Eckes rounded out the top-10.

Jake Finch and Lavar Scott, both making their NASCAR Xfinity Series debuts, finished 17th and 28th for Hendrick Motorsports and Alpha Prime Racing, respectively.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway next weekend for the Pennzoil 250. Coverage of the event will take place on Saturday, July 26 at 4:30pm ET on The CW, IMS Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.