XFINITY: Connor Zilisch Earns 10th Win of 2025 at Charlotte ROVAL

Photo: Casey Calhoun, Racing America

Throughout the 43-year history of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, there have been only three drivers that managed to collect double-digit victories in a single-season: Sam Ard, Kyle Busch, and now, Connor Zilisch.

The 19-year-old superstar reclaimed his position in Victory Lane on Saturday after a lights-out, dominant performance at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, pacing the field for a whopping 61 of 68 laps to win the Blue Cross NC 250.

It's the 11th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory for Zilisch, a native of Mooresville, North Carolina, and the 10th victory of what has been a legendary and record-breaking rookie campaign in the second-tier series.

While Zilisch was pretty much untouchable, like he has been on the road courses all season, the winning move likely came from crew chief Mardy Lindley, who kept the No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet on the racetrack as the field was preparing to begin NASCAR Overtime.

Zilisch ended up with enough of a buffer of drivers staying on the racetrack to hold off a hard-charging Sammy Smith, who ended up third on brand-new tires after a caution was displayed on the final lap for fluid on the racetrack.

RACE RESULTS: 2025 NXS Blue Cross NC 250 at Charlotte ROVAL

"So much fun getting to race in my hometown," Zilisch told The CW. "JR Motorsports cars were so fast this weekend, and yeah, my WeatherTech Chevrolet was as fast as Xfinity Mobile all day long. First in practice, qualified on pole, led a lot of laps, and came home with a win. It feels really good to get 10 [wins]. Double digits is pretty awesome for my first year in this series. Now, we just gotta go win a championship."

Perhaps the most interesting challenge that Zilisch had all evening came on the final restart, when Austin Green, driving the No. 87 Chevrolet for Jordan Anderson Racing pulled alongside him on a restart heading into Turn 1. As the field behind jockeyed for position, Zilisch returned to the lead, but that was about the only substantial challenge the NASCAR Cup Series bound driver had all evening.

Austin Green, the son of 1994 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion David Green, finished a career-best second-place in the No. 87 Chevrolet prepared by Peterson Racing Group and Jordan Anderson Racing. It's the second career top-five result for Green in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career, and his first of the 2025 season.

After things fell perfectly his way, Sammy Smith was able to drive his No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet into the third position. Smith was looking like he was about to be eliminated from post-season contention when a pit stop and a lucky caution gave the Johnston, Iowa-native the second-chance of a lifetime, which he took advantage of to lock himself into the 'Round of 8' in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.

"It was a hard-fought day, for sure. We brought speed. I'm very proud of our effort that we put in this week to be able to put ourselves in this position," Smith explained in a post-race interview on The CW. "We knew it was going to take a lot, so I'm very proud of everyone at JRM, everyone on my team."

Kaz Grala brought the No. 24 Overplay Games Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing home with a top-five result, matching a career-best in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the driver from Boston. It's the fourth finish of fourth-place in the second-tier series for the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB reserve driver.

Rounding out the top-five with another impressive performance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series was Connor Mosack, making a one-off appearance in the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.

Jeb Burton finished sixth, putting a second vehicle inside the top-10 for Jordan Anderson Racing. William Sawalich was seventh, with Justin Allgaier, Nick Sanchez, and Christian Eckes rounding out the top-10.

Other NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs drivers that finished outside the top-10 in Saturday's 68-lap event include Sheldon Creed (11th), Jesse Love (12th), Taylor Gray (13th), Carson Kvapil (15th), Brandon Jones (18th), Sam Mayer (19th), Austin Hill (28th), and Harrison Burton (34th).

Both Austin Hill and Harrison Burton came into the evening below the cutline but suffered some kind of mechanical issue throughout the night, resulting in their elimination from the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. Nick Sanchez, despite a ninth-place finish, and Taylor Gray were also eliminated from postseason contention.

Connor Zilisch, Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil, Brandon Jones, and Sam Mayer are the eight drivers who will fight to make the Championship 4 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series -- a battle that will begin next Saturday (October 11) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.