Connor Zilisch will be behind the wheel of the No. 88 car for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR race tonight at Daytona International Speedway. However, his first race back in the Xfinity Series since suffering a broken collarbone on Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International likely won’t unfold as he or NASCAR fans would like.
Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports shared that the “most likely” plan for Zilisch by JR Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing is to have the 19-year-old start the Wawa 250 on Friday night, then drop to the rear of the field, and get out after the first caution. He then would be replaced by fill-in driver Parker Kligerman.
Related: Connor Zilisch Falls out of Car after Winning at Watkins Glen
- Connor Zilisch stats (Xfinity Series): 823 points, 6 wins, 14 top 10s, 12 top 5s, 5 poles, 3 DNFs, 547 laps led, 6.955 average starting position, 9.5 average finishing position in 22 races
It’s not a plan Zilisch is particularly fond of, especially given how excited he was to receive medical clearance to race at Daytona. The Xfinity Series leader in wins already missed one race this season (Texas Motor Speedway) due to a back injury suffered at Talladega. Currently sitting atop the NASCAR Xfinity standings, he is battling Justin Allgaier (7 points behind) and Sam Mayer (24 points behind) for the regular-season title and the added playoff points that come with it.
However, Zilisch’s Xfinity team (JR Motorsports) needs to think about his health and availability for the NASCAR playoffs starting in September, and his employer next season at Cup (Trackhouse) is focused on ensuring he’s healthy and ready for 2026.
Given the propensity for wrecks, including “the big one” at Daytona, keeping Zilisch on the track for all 250 miles of racing (100 laps) at Daytona is too big a risk for the top NASCAR prospect. Viewed as a generational talent, all parties involved want to ensure he avoids further injury, just two weeks removed from surgery to repair the broken collarbone.
Related: Why Trackhouse has a Bright Future Because of Connor Zilisch, SVG
Fortunately for Zilisch, the strategy being used will still net him points since he’ll start Friday’s race. Kligerman, his replacement, has a strong 13.8 average finishing position, with two top-5 finishes in four Xfinity races at Daytona. If Kligerman wins the race, though, Zilisch would not receive those five playoff points.
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