01-05-2025
JR Motorsports Gives Connor Zilisch Playoff Eligibility Update Amid Back Injury
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
JR Motorsports has provided an update on Connor Zilisch's playoff eligibility after confirming that the 18-year-old driver will miss the Texas NASCAR Xfinity Series race due to a back injury.
The Dale Earnhardt Jr.-led team confirmed in a statement that, "Connor Zilisch has been granted a playoff waiver by NASCAR and remains qualified for the 2025 NXS Playoffs."
To be eligible for the playoffs, drivers have to be competing full-time. As Zilisch is only out of the race weekend due to an injury/medical reason, this decision from NASCAR was expected.
Zilisch was leading the final lap of the NASCAR Xfinity race at Talladega last weekend when he was hit from behind by Jesse Love. The tap from the Richard Childress Racing driver sent Zilisch into a spin before he crashed into the barriers head-on. Continuing to cascade across the track, he eventually came to a stop. After visiting the infield medical center, he explained that he was "grateful to be walking."
Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, loduring qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black's Tire at Rockingham Speedway on April 19, 2025 in Rockingham, North Carolina.
Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 WeatherTech Chevrolet, loduring qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black's Tire at Rockingham Speedway on April 19, 2025 in Rockingham, North drivers have said about the Zilisch x Love wreck
Connor Zilisch
Speaking after the race, Zilisch explained:
"Yeah, I'm okay.
"That's one of the wrecks where you move your legs and make sure everything feels okay afterwards. So, very grateful to drive safe JR Motorsports race cars.
"Our WeatherTech Chevrolet was as fast as Xfinity Mobile. We were in the right spot, just, yeah, I haven't really watched it close enough to know what happened. But yeah, grateful to be up and walking."
He added a day later:
"Sore today but more than anything just upset that I couldn't close that one out for my team. If we keep putting ourselves in position to win races, it will come. Thank you to everyone who reached out to make sure I was okay."
Jesse Love
Love, who is close friends with Zilisch, commented directly after the race:
"I just got really good pushes there at the end.
"I was able to lift enough off of [Turn] 2 to get big pushes. I kind of thought we made our bed and were not in a good spot to win, and then I was able to get Austin [Hill] connected to me and he was able to give me some good pushes down the backstretch for a few laps. It was definitely tough how that ended. I hope my friend is okay.
"I'm not going to comment on what I thought happened there yet. I just want to go check on him and make sure he's alright. Looked like a really hard hit, and he really hasn't taken many hard hits yet."
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Earnhardt Jr. also shared a message of encouragement for his team's driver, writing:
"It sucks to see Connor have to sit out but I'm thankful he is being smart and patient with this injury.
"He'll be back in the seat and back at the front of the field soon enough."
