2025 Focused Health 250 Race Rundown

The NASCAR Xfinity Series took on the Circuit of the Americas this past Saturday and it did not disappoint. Rookie phenom, Connor Zilisch started on the pole with his Jr Motorsports teammate, Ross Chastain alongside him. Going into Turn 1, William Byron, who’s running the Hendrick Motorsports All-Star entry in select NXS races this season, challenged Zilisch for the lead, before Chastain caught him coming out of Turn 6B. Drivers had multiple spotters to help drivers with this 2.4-mile, 17-turn Road Course.

Throughout the pack, drivers battled for bragging rights all afternoon. Corey Heim, who recently signed a development deal with 23XI racing, went wheel to wheel with Carson Kvapil, before Carson Hocevar got into the Turn 6A wall, after making contact with Jeb Burton. Hocevar, who was running the race for Garrett Smithley, after Smithley opted out of the race due to a lack of Road Course experience, was out of the race on Lap 4. On Lap 7, Austin Hill got into Sheldon Creed, which sent Creed, Kvapil and fellow Rookie, Nick Sanchez, off the course in Turn 20.

With 2-to-go in Stage 2, Zilisch pitted when the yellow light came on while he was entering Pit Road, indicating the pits were closed, due to Baltazar Leguizamon stalling on the track. Despite dominating Stage 1, Zilisch was penalized and sent to the rear, allowing William Byron to collect the Stage 1 win.

Throughout Stage 2, Zilisch had his work cut out for him, charging through the pack. Harrison Burton would end up winning Stage 2, after deciding to stay out the pits before the end of the stage. A lot of drivers who aren’t always up front collected points in Stage 2, including Rookie Daniel Dye, Sammy Smith, Jeb Burton and Ryan Sieg, rounding out the Top-5, respectively.

Stage 3 would showcase why the NASCAR Xfinity Series is the best of the Top-3 Series of NASCAR, as JRM Rookie Teammates, Kvapil and Zilisch would go wheel-to-wheel for the lead. on Lap 53, Zilisch locked his tires up, going into Turn 20, allowing Kvapil to further close the gap on his teammate. The duo battled it out for five laps, until Kvapil had to pit on Lap 60, due to a flat right-front tire. The teammates received praise from their owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. after this display of masterful driving, with neither teammate taking the other out.

In the end, it would be Zilisch emerging victorious, as kept the car together, holding off William Byron for the win. Zilsich celebrated up the hill of Turn 1, after winning his second-career NASCAR Xfinity Series race, after holding off 37 drivers en-route to this impressive victory. This win has locked the Rookie into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, which will take place in September. Now the Rookie can focus on improving on a week-to-week basis, collecting more points and winning more races, as this year will be crucial if he wants to race in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time one day.