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Connor Zilisch injury update: NASCAR driver will return to Cup, Xfinity Series races at Charlotte

JHby: Jonathan Howard05/19/25Jondean25
Connor Zilisch
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After missing one race at Texas and a two-week break in the Xfinity Series schedule, Connor Zilisch is returning to NASCAR this week! A back injury from Talladega kept Zilisch out of his car for a week as Kyle Larson took over at Texas. Now, the 18-year-old is back in the seat.

Well, he is actually back in two seats. Connor Zilisch will race in the Xfinity Series, where he is full-time this season. He is also going to make his second Cup Series start, his first on an oval in the series.

“I’m back,” Zilisch posted on Twitter/X today. “My back is all healed up and I’m ready for a big weekend at Charlotte. I’m pumped to make my second Cup start with Trackhouse and get back in the Xfinity Car with JR Motorsports. Big thanks to everyone who helped me get back so soon!”

Connor Zilisch will be having a big weekend. He has 900 miles of racing coming up on his schedule. To take on the Coca-Cola 600 in his first Cup Series race on an oval is an immense undertaking. He will be challenged like never before on his endurance, strength, and mental fortitude.

We do not know the extent of Zilisch’s injury. It appears that he had a minor back injury, and perhaps it wasn’t even fractured. But again, we don’t know. So, it will be very interesting to see if Zilisch still has the same feel for the Xfinity car and if it gives him issues in the Cup race.

JR Motorsports, Trackhouse Racing, and Chevy are being very careful with their prized prospect. No need to rush anything. If he is returning this weekend then I think he is ready to go and should more or less be ready to pick up where he left off.

Connor Zilisch has catching up to do

With his absence at Texas, Connor Zilisch took a big hit in the points. He fell to 12th overall in the standings. He was right behind fellow rookie and JR Motorsports teammate, Carson Kvapil, in the top-10 prior to his injury.

Kvapil is now 6th in points, only two points below 5th place, Brandon Jones. Zilisch trails Kvapil by 25 points going into Charlotte. Depending on how the race plays out, he could make big jump in the points and get back into the top-10.

Last season, Zilisch raced at Kansas in the Xfinity Series. That was a strong top-five performance for the young driver in his first oval start in the series. I think he can really come back to the car this week and make some noise. He might not win the race, but he can have a big points day and show that he hasn’t fallen off too much.

Surprisingly, Connor Zilisch is still looking for his second top-five of the season. He has had a few races that have slipped through his fingers. When he starts to cut down on pit road mistakes, on-track mistakes, and racing within himself and the car’s capabilities, he will take the next step.

The pressure this weekend is definitely on Shane van Gisbergen. SVG is going to go head-to-head with his potential replacement at Trackhouse Racing on an oval. If Zilisch manages to have a strong run in the 600 compared to SVG, that could be very bad news for the Kiwi.