2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie Round-Up

Written by Bailey Defoor, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri

It’s that time of the year! Playoffs are starting at the end of the month, and it’s time for an Xfinity Series Rookie Round-up! This year’s rookie class has brought a mix of fresh talent, promising performances, and some learning curves. 

From standout race winners to consistent points scorers, these young drivers are making their marks as they adapt to the challenges of full-time competition. Here’s a look at how each rookie has fared so far this season, highlighting their strengths, areas for growth and potential paths to the playoffs.

Credit: Sean Gardner

Connor Zilisch

Connor Zilisch, one of the most anticipated rookies and the youngest of the bunch, currently tops the standings, narrowly ahead of teammate and reigning series champion Justin Allgaier. Zilisch has been red hot after his accident in Talladega.

In a late race caution, Zilisch went head-on into the inside wall of Talladega and injured his back, forcing him to sit out in Texas. Kyle Larson filled in for Zilisch that week and won. Since then, Zilisch has been on a run.

This weekend, Zilisch logged his sixth win of the season at Watkins Glen, and it was his fifth win from pole. Along with the handful of wins he’s already amassed, He has 10 top-five finishes, three of which were runner-up, and 12 top-10s. He also had a 12-race streak of leading at least one lap, but that might be broken if he sits out of Daytona. 

While in Victory Lane this past weekend, Zilisch slipped on the net while climbing out of his car to celebrate and broke his clavicle on impact. While he has undergone surgery, Zilisch has been entered to race in Daytona this weekend.

Credit: Noah Watts / NASCAR Digital Media

Carson Kvapil

Carson Kvapil has made a strong start as well, bringing in five top-fives and 10 top-10s through 23 races. He shines on short tracks, with his most recent runner-up finish coming at Bristol, but he is finding his footing on larger ovals and road courses. His fifth-place finish at Watkins Glen showed promise for what is to come.

Though still adapting to certain styles of tracks, Kvapil’s consistency, with an average finish around 14th, and his ability to lead laps show his steady growth. Where he sits in sixth, Kvapil remains a contender to make the playoffs and is building momentum as the season goes on.

Credit: Sean Gardner

Taylor Gray

Taylor Gray has silently put together a solid rookie campaign this season. Even though his average finish is near 15th, he has shown glimpses of speed through his three pole positions and two runner-ups. Gray also has four other top-fives and 10 top-10s. 

Gray is currently sitting in ninth place, within the playoff cut line, but he is still chasing his first win to lock himself in. Consistency has been his biggest challenge, yet his ability to compete at a variety of track types suggests that he is building towards a bigger breakthrough before the end of the season. 

Credit: Brittney Wilbur / NASCAR Digital Media

Nick Sanchez

Nick Sanchez, the second rookie locked into the playoffs via a win at Atlanta, has steadily established himself as a rookie to watch this season. Outside of his breakthrough win, Sanchez has five top-fives and eight top-10s, showcasing his ability to compete near the front.

Even though his average finish is closer to 18th, Sanchez is building consistency and gaining valuable experience as he adapts to the demands of full-time racing in the series.

Credit: Kobe Lambeth / NASCAR Digital Media

Christian Eckes

Christian Eckes has demonstrated intense skill in his first full-time season with Kaulig Racing. This season, he has secured three top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes, and these show his ability to run at the front.

Eckes’ standout performances came in a third-place finish at Pocono, a fourth in Mexico City, and a fifth at COTA, highlighting his versatility across multiple track types. Despite facing challenges like seven finishes outside the top-20, he remains competitive and continues to build momentum as the season progresses.

Despite these solid finishes, Eckes currently sits just outside he playoff cut line in 15th. The competition is tight, and there are always areas for growth as the season moves forward.

Credit: Jonathan Bachman

Dean Thompson

Dean Thompson has shown steady progress in his rookie season. He has achieved his best finish of the season at Charlotte, coming in at fifth, and four other top-10 appearances.  

Thompson’s season has shown strong runs in Martinsville, finishing sixth, and Bristol and Indianapolis, bringing home 10th at both tracks, demonstrating his adaptability across many track types.

Currently, Thompson sits outside of the playoffs in 16th, still on the bubble. With several of his stronger tracks still to come, maintaining consistency could be key to securing a trip to the postseason in his rookie year. 

Credit: Sean Gardner

Daniel Dye

Daniel Dye has quietly been one of the most consistent rookies in the top 10. Though he has logged seven top-10s, he is only credited with six because his ninth-place finish in Nashville was later disqualified after failing post-race inspections.

Notably, Dye has delivered on a variety of tracks, including his best finish at Atlanta, seventh, and Martinsville, coming home in eighth. While Dye currently sits outside the playoff picture in 18th, he would likely need a breakthrough performance. Dye is in a must-win scenario if he wants to make it to the playoffs this season.

Short tracks look to be his strong suits, so he might be able to get a good result at World Wide Technology Raceway even though it is an intermediate track. Time will tell.

Credit: Jeff Le / NASCAR Digital Media

William Sawalich

William Sawalich has shown pace, but he has also suffered a lot of bad luck this season. From car troubles to flying tyres, Sawalich has had a hard time this season. 

Still, Sawalich secured his maiden pole position in Nashville, but spun after battling with Gray and Sammy Smith and retired early. Still, despite the reign of bad luck, Sawalich has found some shining moments like his third-place finish at Sonoma and five top 10 finishes. 

Sawalich has been on an upward trend in the last few weeks, and while it might be too late for playoffs as he sits in 20th, he could still bring himself higher in the standings.

Credit: Jonathan Bachman

Kris Wright

On the other side of the spectrum, Kris Wright has not had the season he was hoping for. After scoring no top 10s in the first 19 races of the season, Wright parted ways with Our Motorsports after Sonoma. Wright sits at 30th in the standings.

Wright announced a couple of weeks ago that he would be returning to Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series. He raced in Iowa and Watkins Glen, where he finished 24th after an incident and third, and he will compete at Kansas in September.

Even though the postseason is quickly approaching, this rookie class still has plenty of opportunities to showcase their abilities and to hopefully secure their places. Many have already shown the speed and skill needed to compete at the highest level, and the upcoming races offer a chance to build momentum, secure key results and possibly lock themselves in.