Kyle Larson to replace injured Connor Zilisch (back) for Xfinity race at Texas
Connor Zilisch suffered a lower back injury Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, an injury that will keep him out of the Xfinity Series race this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.
Cup Series driver Kyle Larson will replace Zilisch in the JR Motorsports No. 88 car.
Both Larson and Zilisch have won Xfinity races this year. Zilisch, who is sixth in the series point standings, won at Circuit of the Americas. Larson, the 2021 Cup champion and second in the current Cup Series standings, has two starts in the series this year and won in his most recent Xfinity start at Bristol. A Cup driver is allowed a maximum of five races in the Xfinity Series each year.
The 18-year-old Zilisch was involved in a late wreck battling for the lead at Talladega, where he tried to block a run by Jesse Love and was turned, sliding head-first into the inside wall.
He complained about his back to his team on the in-car radio after the crash but said after exiting the medical center that x-rays were clear.
"Just a big hit like that, everything compresses and you feel it," Zilisch said. "I'm all good."
Zilisch said he would follow up with his doctors this week, and the team sent out a statement Wednesday night that he would miss Texas. Trackhouse Racing wouldn't comment on the extent of the lower back injury and if he does have any fractures.
The Xfinity Series has two weeks off after Texas as it does not run at the upcoming Kansas and North Wilkesboro weekends. Zilisch is scheduled to run both the Xfinity and Cup races during Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte.
Zilisch would need a waiver from NASCAR to remain eligible for the playoffs while also missing a race during the regular season. NASCAR routinely grants a waiver for medical conditions.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and IndyCar for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. Get more from NASCAR Xfinity Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
McDowell, Gilliland top Cup Series practice sessions in Mexico City
For the first time in history, NASCAR Cup Series drivers turned laps at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City in two practice sessions. Front Row Motorsports' Todd Gilliland was quickest in Practice 2 at 93.180 mph over Ross Chastain (93.041 mph) and Ty Gibbs (92.864 mph). Advertisement RELATED: Practice 2 results | At-track photos: Mexico City Ryan Blaney (92.836 mph) and Chris Buescher (92.726 mph) rounded out the top five. Ryan Preece (92.669 mph), Austin Cindric (92.651 mph), Joey Logano (92.641 mph), Daniel Suárez (92.632 mph) and Shane van Gisbergen (92.601 mph) completed out the top 1o. After posting the fastest time in Practice 1, Michael McDowell (92.163 mph) was 25th-fastest in the second session. Noah Gragson was the only driver who did not turn a lap in Practice 2, as Front Row confirmed on social media that he will go to a backup car for Sunday's race. Practice 1 Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell topped the leaderboard in Practice 1 at 92.657 mph, besting Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Chase Briscoe (92.547 mph) and Ty Gibbs (92.542 mph). Advertisement Austin Cindric (92.528 mph) and Kyle Larson (92.439 mph) rounded out the top five. Chris Buescher (92.427 mph), Joey Logano (92.401 mph), Ross Chastain (92.349 mph), Shane van Gisbergen (92.330 mph) and Todd Gilliland (92.276 mph) completed the top 10. MORE: Practice 1 results After being called up by JGR to replace Denny Hamlin for the weekend, Ryan Truex finished his first session in the No. 11 Toyota 36th-fastest with a speed of 90.946 mph. As the learning process got underway, the 15-turn, 2.42-mile Mexico City circuit proved to be tricky for the drivers. Turn 4 was one of the most challenging spots as Cindric missed his braking point and Noah Gragson contacted the wall in the same area. Others had trouble slowing their cars down in time to make the corner. Cup Series drivers get back on track Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET for qualifying (Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). This story will be updated.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Ram boss sorry for ‘woke' pivot that killed gas-guzzling engine, brings back growling classic after backlash: ‘We got it wrong'
Ram admitted it screwed up by killing a legacy American-made engine known for its raw power — and is revved up to bring it back after facing major backlash. The automaker had discontinued the beloved HEMI V-8 engine from its 2025 Ram trucks as part of a 'woke' pivot by the since-ousted CEO of parent company Stellantis Carlos Tavares, But new Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, who came out of retirement last last year, offered up a mea culpa over the decision to pull the plug on the engine that powered the top-selling truck for decades. 7 Ram Trucks CEO Tim Kuniskis appears in a new ad for the company in which he apologizes for ditching a beloved gas-powered engine. Youtube/Ram Trucks In a newly-released ad, Kuniskis publicly acknowledged the misstep and said Ram is reversing course by bringing back the gas-guzzling HEMI engine in 2026 models. 'We own it. We got it wrong. And we're fixing it,' Kuniskis announces in the commercial. Ram ditched the HEMI as part of its broader push toward meeting stricter emissions regulations enacted by the Biden administration as well as its goal of improving fuel efficiency across its lineup. President Trump administration has pushed to scrap many of Biden's green initiatives. 'When Ram made the decision to discontinue production of the iconic HEMI V-8, the internet erupted, and lifelong loyalists voiced their outrage across social media,' Lindsay Fifelski, head of Ram brand advertising, told Fast Company. 7 Kuniskis is seen in the ad getting behind the wheel of a Ram Truck as it speeds down a NASCAR runway. Youtube/Ram Trucks 'We knew we couldn't market our way around this moment; we had to meet it head-on.' The Ram ad also features screeching tires and Kuniskis narrating over the roar of engines as drives the Ram Truck on a NASCAR track. 'You hear that? That's our HEMI, and it's saying, 'I'm back,'' he bellows, as the truck blazes down the track. A fan chimes in: 'Did he say what I think he said? That thing's got a HEMI!' 'Hell, yeah, it does!' another said. 7 The ad features screeching tires and Kuniskis narrating over the roar of engines as he is drifting, doing doughnuts and taking hot laps on a NASCAR track. Youtube/Ram Trucks Later, amid tire smoke and cheering crowds, Kuniskis leaned into the hype. 'You want more? Buckle up. Ram's coming back to NASCAR,' he said. He offered up one last rallying cry — 'Let's f–king go!' — then ended the commercial with a promise: 'We're back in America's motorsport. The HEMI's back. And we ain't going anywhere.' 7 'You hear that? That's our HEMI, and it's saying, 'I'm back,'' he said, as the truck blazes down the track. Youtube/Ram Trucks Ram and its parent brand Dodge left NASCAR after the 2012 season. The commercial, created by ad agency Argonaut, doubles as an apology and a reintroduction of the HEMI, which is named for the hemispherical shape of the engine's combustion chambers. The HEMI is unique in that the shape of its chambers allows for better airflow, higher efficiency and greater power output. The engine delivers up to 717+ horsepower in supercharged variants and is prized for its durability, low-end torque and distinctive rumble. 7 The HEMI is unique in that the shape of its chambers allows for better airflow, higher efficiency and greater power output. Frisco Dodge The iconic engine was replaced by the new Hurricane lineup of more powerful and efficient 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six engines during the refresh of the fifth-generation Ram 1500 light-duty truck. The move aligned with parent company Stellantis' global electrification and downsizing strategy, which emphasized smaller, more efficient powertrains like the Hurricane. The company positioned the Hurricane as more powerful and fuel-efficient than the outgoing V8 — but the decision sparked backlash from loyalists who valued the HEMI's iconic rumble, durability, and cultural significance. 7 The engine delivers up to 717+ horsepower in supercharged variants. RAM Ram's overall sales dropped more than 18% year over year in 2024. Kuniskis told CNBC that he expects the HEMI to account for 25% to 40% of Ram 1500 pickup truck sales in 2025. The renewed interest suggests the company's about-face could deliver not just goodwill, but a needed boost at the dealership level. 7 Ram Trucks and its parent company Stellantis are joining other automakers in moving away from full electrification of their fleets. Youtube/Ram Trucks Stellantis, the fourth largest automaker in the world — whose portfolio of brands includes Ram, Dodge, Fiat, Chrysler, Peugeot and Jeep — is just the latest automaker to scale back the push toward electrifying its fleet of cars and trucks. Several major car companies — including Ford, GM and Mercedes-Benz — have scaled back or delayed their electrification plans due to weaker-than-expected consumer demand, high production costs and charging infrastructure concerns. Ford is pivoting toward hybrids and GM postponed several EV launches. By late 2023, electric vehicle inventory was piling up on dealership lots, with EVs taking more than three times longer to sell than gas-powered cars, signaling a sharp slowdown in consumer demand.
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
INDYCAR Announces INDY NXT by Firestone Penalties at WWTR
INDYCAR INDYCAR has announced penalties for the No. 29 Andretti Global entry and driver James Roe ahead of this weekend's event at World Wide Technology Raceway. Per standard late-race procedures, as a lapped car in the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Detroit, the No. 29 was ordered and twice failed to take the final lap restart at the rear of the field alongside other lapped cars. Additionally, during the final lap of the race, the No. 29 was penalized for blocking the No. 40 – a lead-lap car. The following penalties from the INDY NXT by Firestone rulebook were left 'pending' and scheduled to be applied and served at the next event: Rule 3.1.7. Failing to follow the direction of INDYCAR. Rule 3.2. Blocking – Any Driver who moves in reaction, altering their line based on the actions of pursuing Competitors, may be penalized. Roe has been placed on probation for his next three INDY NXT races. At the event at World Wide Technology Raceway, the No. 29 will not be permitted to qualify and will start Sunday's race at the rear of the field using tires scuffed from Saturday's practice. Members may contest the imposition of the penalties detailed in the review and appeal procedures of the INDY NXT by Firestone rulebook.
