Xfinity Series: Connor Zilisch holds off SVG in Sonoma

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: Chris Graythen / Digital Media

Connor Zilisch said after last week’s battle at Chicago that he wouldn’t go easy on teammate Shane van Gisbergen. This week, Zilisch took the win at Sonoma.

As it unfolded

SVG started on pole once again with Zilisch beside him. Sam Mayer and Jesse Love lined up behind them and hooked up behind the leaders as they went to green.

SVG got ahead of Zilisch as Love goes to the inside of Mayer in turn 3 to challenge for the place. Neither driver was able to make the move stick in that turn.

Daniel Dye, Dean Thompson, and Austin Green went through the dirt on the opening lap and fell quite a few places, but were able to keep out of each other.

On lap 3, Zilisch took the lead as SVG almost went sideways in turn 2, and Mayer challenged SVG for second. SVG kept the position, Mayer slotting into third. 

Fun fact: Zilisch has led at least one lap in the last eight races in 2025, and this is the longest streak of the season.

SVG retook the lead on lap 5 with a switchback move into turn 8.

With 9 laps to go, Love loses a couple of places to Williams Sawalich and Carson Kvapil with an issue. Love pits to retire on lap 13. 

By lap 15, the top three now have a gap of 13 seconds to Sawalich in fourth, and the top two are 6 seconds ahead of Mayer.

Many drivers opt to pit to flip the stage, including the top two. Off pit road, Zilisch comes off first, and they come out in ninth and eleventh. Mayer takes the lead.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)

2. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

3. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

4. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)

5. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

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

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

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

9. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

10. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)

The drivers who didn’t pit before dart onto pit road. Brandon Jones wins off pit road while Mayer loses two places. Zilisch and SVG cycle to the front.

Back to green,  they stay side by side through turns 1 and 2, but Zilisch clears for the lead in turn 6. Zilisch almost lost the lead after locking his wheels in turn 7 but kept in front. Sawalich moved up to third.

SVG goes to the inside of Zilisch on lap 28, and they stay door to door until turn 2 when SVG cuts in front of Zilisch.

Ryan Ellis gets spun around on lap 30, but was able to stay clear of other drivers and get going again on his own.

On lap 37, Zilisch takes the lead from SVG.

Alex Labbe pits with a track bar issue and retires on lap 38. On the same lap, Kris Wright went off course in turn 2 but continued.

 Sage Karam suffered a transmission issue and went off track exiting the final turn of lap 42.

The top four pit just before pit road closes for the stage, and Justin Allgaier takes the lead.

Jones swept around Allgaier at turn 3 when Allgaier went wide.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

2. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

3. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)

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

5. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

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

7. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

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

9. No. 70 - Will Rodgers (Cope Family Racing)

10. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)

After a cycle of pit stops, Zilisch and SVG line up again for the restart. The two stay door to door until Zilisch clears into turn 4. Austin Hill jumps up to fourth as Sawalich cuts in front of SVG for second.

SVG repassed Sawalich on lap 53.

Big damage to Christian Eckes after Ryan Seig and Brennen Poole scuffled, and Eckes suffered the most damage. He pitted to retire on lap 54.

R. Seig goes down pit road smoking on lap 57.

On lap 60, Jeremy Clements spins around but keeps clear of other drivers and is able to continue.

Harrison Burton spins around at turn 11 after getting turned around by Corey Day and Jones on lap 65.

In the closing laps of the stage, SVG closed the gap on Zilisch and was right on his bumper. 

With 3 to go, Day goes off the track and narrowly misses the wall after A. Hill hits the sausage curb and bounces into Day. No caution was called.

SVG tapped the bumper of Zilisch into turn 7 with 2 laps to go, but doesn’t have the grip to get ahead. 

They go side by side into turn 11, but the 88 drives away!

Connor Zilisch takes the checkered flag ahead of Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma!

Provisional Results

1. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

2. No. 9 - Shane van Gisbergen (JR Motorsports) [FL]

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

4. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

5. No. 19 - Riley Herbst (Joe Gibbs Racing) 

6. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

7. No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)

8. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

9. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)

10. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

11. No. 32 - Austin Green (Jordan Anderson Racing)

12. No. 21 -  Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) 

13. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

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

15. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)

16. No. 70 - Will Rodgers (Cope Family Racing)

17. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)

18. No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)

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

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

21. No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing) 

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

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

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

25. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)

26. No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)

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

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

29. No. 5 - Kris Wright (Our Motorsports) 

30. No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing) +1 lap

31. No. 45 - Brad Perez (Alpha Prime Racing) +1 lap

32. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing) +1 lap

33. No. 14 - Connor Mosack (SS-Green Light Racing) +2 laps

34. No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing) +3 laps

35. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing) +3 laps

36. No. 53 - Sage Karam (Joey Gase Motorsports) [DNF]

37. No. 07 - Alex Labbe (SS-Green Light Racing) [DNF]

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

39. No. 35 - Austin J. Hill (Joey Gase Motorsports) [DNS]

Next week, NASCAR Xfinity heads to Dover Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 19, at 15:30 EST (20:30 BST). Be there, or be square.