Connor Zilisch showed his gratitude to Kyle Larson for stepping in to race for him at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zilisch thanked Larson, who will be making his third Xfinity Series start this season.
“Thank you to [Kyle Larson] for stepping up for me this weekend and everyone who has supported me through this process,” Zilisch wrote. “I’m doing everything I can to return as soon as possible.”
Earlier, JR Motorsports announced that Zilisch would not be competing at Texas due to an injury he sustained at Talladega. Zilisch was involved in a single-car crash on the final lap and experienced back pain afterward.
“I’m okay,” Zilisch shared. “That was one of those wrecks where you move your legs first to make sure everything feels fine. I’m very thankful to be driving such safe JR Motorsports cars. Our WeatherTech Chevrolet was really fast, just like Xfinity Mobile. We were in a good position, but I haven’t looked closely at the replay yet. Still, I’m just grateful to be up and walking.”
Both Zilisch and Larson have enjoyed success in the Xfinity Series this year.
Zilisch, in his first full-time season, has had an impressive 2025 campaign so far. He earned a win at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), secured three top-10 finishes, and currently holds sixth place in the points standings. The 18-year-old has quickly made a name for himself among Xfinity Series competitors.
Meanwhile, Kyle Larson is preparing for his third Xfinity race this year. He placed fourth at Homestead and claimed victory at Bristol, both times driving the No. 17 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.
Speaking after his Bristol win, Larson expressed how much the victory meant to him and his team.
“It’s awesome,” Larson said, according to NASCAR.com. “I wish I could’ve won last night too — we just fell a little short. It’s special to get a win for Jon [Edwards] and everyone who’s been a part of his life.
“We’ve got another shot tomorrow in the Cup race. It would be incredible to finish the weekend with another win for Jon and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports. We’ve got a great car for Sunday; we just need to execute like we did today.”
