Xfinity Series: Connor Zilisch dominates overtime at the Roval

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: David Jensen

Connor Zilisch dominated in a hectic race at the Charlotte Roval to secure his 10th win of the season.

As it unfolded

JR Motorsports locked out the top five in qualifying with Zilisch taking the pole and Justin Allgaier lining up beside him as they led the field to green. The two stayed side by side until the fifth turn, when Allgaier went wide. 

Contact for Corey Day with the wall on the second lap, but kept going with heavy damage. Daniel Dye also dove into the inside of Anthony Alfredo and spun Alfredo around.

With six laps to go, Harrison Burton slowed on track and pulled off at the fourth turn, and it brought out the first caution of the race. Almost all of the drivers pitted under caution and chose to flip the stage. Allgaier got off pit road ahead of Zilisch and both came out to line up on row three.

Nick Sanchez and Matt DiBenedetto cycled to the lead and led the way back to green. Sanchez immediately pulled ahead and Zilisch moved up to second. DiBenedetto struggled to get going and held Allgaier up. Sam Mayer was pushed out in a four-wide corner and suffered some damage. Before the end of the lap, Zilisch was back in the lead.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS]

2. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) [PLAYOFFS]

3. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS]

4. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS]

5. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS] 

6. No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) [PLAYOFFS]

7. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing) [PLAYOFFS]

8. No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing) 

9. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team) [PLAYOFFS]

10. No. 9 - Connor Mosack (JR Motorsports)

Zilisch and Jesse Love lined up for the restart on Lap 24, and Zilisch went straight up to the lead. Three laps later, Josh Williams stopped on the track, bringing out the second incident-related caution.

It was Zilisch and Love again on Lap 30, and Zilisch cleared for the lead into the first turn. Carson Kvapil got into the side of Sheldon Creed at divebomb corner and suffered a bit of tyre rub, but both stayed on track.

With three laps to go in the stage, drivers started to pit. Zilisch pitted with two to go, and Love took over the lead. Sanchez was penalized after the jack got stuck under the car and was pulled into the fast lane.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) [PLAYOFFS]

2. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS]

3. No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) [PLAYOFFS]

4. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team) [PLAYOFFS]

5. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS] 

6. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team) [PLAYOFFS]

7. No. 07 - Alex Labbe (SS-Green Light Racing)

8. No. 91 - Josh Bilicki (DGM Racing x JIM)

9. No. 53 - Sage Karam (Joey Gase Racing)

10. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS]

Under the stage caution, Mayer was penalized for having the crew over the wall too soon, and he dropped to the back of the field.

Zilisch led the way on Lap 45 and immediately put a second between him and Allgaier. Corey Day got spun around by Sammy Smith with 20 laps to go, but got going again. With 17 laps to go, Austin Hill reported a problem with the car and lost a lot of pace.

With four laps to go, Smith had to make an unscheduled stop, and after he was already down pit road, there was a caution thrown for Sage Karam, who crashed and lost a tyre on the frontstretch. This sent the race into overtime.

A few drivers, notably Allgaier, Creed and Love, pitted while Zilisch and Taylor Gray stayed out. 

Zilisch moved up to the lead, and Austin Green had a good getaway. Alex Labbe got turned around after contact with Brennan Poole. Smith, Kvapil, and Gray scrapped for places at the cut-line before a caution was thrown on the final lap.

Connor Zilisch took the white and chequered flag in overtime, making it his 10th win of the season!

Provisional Results

1. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS] [FL]

2. No. 87 - Austin Green (Jordan Anderson Racing)

3. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS]

4. No. 24 - Kaz Grala (Sam Hunt Racing) 

5. No. 9 - Connor Mosack (JR Motorsports)

6. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing) 

7. No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing) 

8. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS]

9. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing) [ELIMINATED]

10. No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)

11. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team) [PLAYOFFS]

12. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) [PLAYOFFS]

13. No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing) [ELIMINATED]

14. No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)

15. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports) [PLAYOFFS] 

16. No. 4 - Parker Retzlaff (Alpha Prime Racing)

17. No. 11 - Daniel Hemric (Kaulig Racing)

18. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing) [PLAYOFFS] 

19. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team) [PLAYOFFS]

20. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing) 

21. No. 91 - Josh Bilicki (DGM Racing x JIM) 

22. No. 17 - Corey Day (Hendrick Motorsports)

23. No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports) 

24. No. 71 - Ryan Ellis (DGM Racing + JIM) 

25. No. 53 - Sage Karam (Joey Gase Racing) 

26. No. 92 - Leland Honeyman (DGM Racing x JIM)

27. No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing) 

28. No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) [ELIMINATED]

29. No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing) 

30. No. 07 - Alex Labbe (SS-Green Light Racing)

31. No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)

32. No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports) +1 lap

33. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing) +1 lap

34. No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing) [ELIMINATED] +4 laps

35. No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing) +6 laps

36. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing)  [DNF]

37. No. 45 - Josh Williams (Alpha Prime Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 50 - Preston Pardus (Pardus Racing Inc) [DNF]

Next week, NASCAR Xfinity will be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the start of the Round of 8. Tune in on Saturday, October 11, at 19:30 ET (Sunday, October 12, 00:30 UK). 

Provisional Playoff Picture

1. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch: +57

2. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier: +24

3. No. 20 - Brandon Jones: +4

4. No. 41 - Sam Mayer: +2

Playoff Cut Line

1. No. 2 - Jesse Love: -2

2. No. 8 - Sammy Smith: -7

3. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil: -11

4. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed: -13