Xfinity Series: “They’ve got nothing against me”: Connor Zilisch wins the Monster Mile

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

Connor Zilisch wins at Dover after the second half of Stage 3 was rained out. 

Post-race, Zilisch said that his team didn’t consider his Pocono win a real oval victory because, technically, Pocono is a triangle. In response, Zilisch fired back: “They’ve got nothing against me,” pointing to his dominant win on Dover’s traditional oval layout.

As it unfolded

The top three were all rookies with Taylor Gray on the pole, Nick Sanchez alongside him and Zilisch behind Gray.

Gray had the better spot and easily cleared for the lead while Zilisch and Brandon Jones stayed side by side through the opening laps. Zilisch cleared for third on Lap 3.

Jesse Love also had a good start, passing Jeb Burton for eighth on Lap 5.

On Lap 9, Justin Allgaier jumped up to 25th from starting in the back after a small crash in qualifying.

On Lap 16, Jones caught up to Zilisch and began challenging him for third again. Aric Almirola also joined the battle on Lap 18. Jones passed Zilisch on Lap 27 and Almirola passed Zilisch on Lap 28.

Jones immediately passed Sanchez on Lap 29 after narrowly missing contact between the two. Sanchez continued falling back out of the top 5.

Almirola took second from Jones with 10 Laps to go in the stage.

On Lap 40, Allgaier broke into the top 10, and by Lap 42, he was already up to eighth.

Gray wins the stage after leading every lap of Stage 1.

Stage 1 Results:

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

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

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

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

5. No. 9 - Ross Chastain (JR Motorsports)

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

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

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

9. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

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

After a cycle of pitstops, Jones and Zilisch come off pit road first. Gray had a problem during the stop and was not in the top 10 off pit road.

Jones and Zilisch led the way on Lap 55. Allgaier gave a push to Jones, but Zilisch had the better start and cleared for the lead. 

Jake Finch was penalized for speeding in the pit lane and had to drop to the rear.

Almirola easily swept around the inside of Jones on Lap 68.

By Lap 70, Zilisch had built a gap between him and Almirola to over a second.

Stage 2 Results:

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

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

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

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

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

6. No. 9 - Ross Chastain (JR Motorsports)

7. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

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

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

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

Another cycle of pit stops had Zilisch and Jones off pit road first once again. Almirola fell three places.

Quite a few drivers were penalized for issues on pit lane. Sammy Smith for speeding, Parker Retzlaff for an uncontrolled tyre, and Jeremy Clements for equipment interference. Ross Chastain also had to go back on pit lane with a lugnut issue on Lap 97 to retire.

Kyle Sieg stayed out and was on the inside for the restart alongside Zilisch with 100 laps to go. The drivers that pitted immediately surged passed K. Sieg. Zilisch and Jones to the front again.

Sanchez pits on Lap 107 with a power steering issue and retires.

Almirola passed Jones again on Lap 130 just before the caution came out for the rain on Lap 132.

The caution was upgraded to a red flag on Lap 134.

After 45 minutes, the race was called, and Connor Zilisch is the winner. His fourth of the season, second in a row and second on an oval.

Provisional Results

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

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

3. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing) [FL]

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

5. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

6. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17. No. 17 - Jake Finch (Hendricks Motorsports) 

18. No. 24 - Ryan Truex (Sam Hunt Racing) 

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

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

21. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing)

22. No. 32 - Rajah Caruth (Jordan Anderson Racing)

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

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

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

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

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

28. No. 45 - Lavar Scott (Alpha Prime Racing) 

29. No. 70 - Leland Honeyman (Cope Family Racing) +1 lap

30. No. 71 - Ryan Ellis (DGM Racing + JIM) +3 laps

31. No. 5 - Kaz Grala (Our Motorsports) +3 laps

32. No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing) +3 laps

33. No. 07 - Nick Leitz (SS-Green Light Racing) +3 laps

34. No. 91 - Josh Bilicki (DGM Racing x JIM) +3 laps

35. No. 14 - Garrett Smithley (SS-Green Light Racing) +3 laps

36. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing) +3 laps

37. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 9 - Ross Chastain (JR Motorsports) [DNF]

39. No. 53 - David Starr (Joey Gase Motorsports) [DNS]

40. No. 35 - Glen Reen (Joey Gase Motorsports) [DNS]

Next week, NASCAR Xfinity heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 26, at 15:30 EST (20:30 BST). Be there, or be square.