Following a hard crash at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch has been sidelined with a lower back injury. As a result, 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will replace the 18-year-old driver in this weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Zilisch, currently sixth in the Xfinity Series standings, secured a victory earlier this season at Circuit of the Americas. Larson, who is second in the Cup Series standings, has made two starts in the Xfinity Series this year, winning his most recent appearance at Bristol. Cup Series drivers are limited to a maximum of five Xfinity Series races per season.
The incident at Talladega occurred late in the race as Zilisch battled for the lead. While attempting to block a run by Jesse Love, Zilisch was turned and slid head-first into the inside wall. Despite complaining about back pain over the in-car radio following the crash, Zilisch stated that x-rays were clear after visiting the medical center.
“Just a big hit like that, everything compresses and you feel it,” Zilisch said. “I’m all good.”
However, after a follow-up with his doctors this week, Trackhouse Racing announced on Wednesday night that Zilisch would miss the Texas race. The team declined to comment on the extent of the lower back injury and whether Zilisch had sustained any fractures.
The Xfinity Series has a two-week break following the Texas event, as it will not run at the upcoming Kansas and North Wilkesboro weekends. Zilisch is scheduled to compete in both the Xfinity and Cup Series races during Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte.
To remain eligible for the playoffs while missing a regular-season race, Zilisch will need to obtain a waiver from NASCAR. The sanctioning body routinely grants waivers for medical conditions.
Larson’s substitution for Zilisch at Texas provides an opportunity for the Cup Series star to gain additional track time and potentially secure another Xfinity Series win. Meanwhile, Zilisch will focus on his recovery, aiming to return to competition as soon as possible and maintain his strong position in the Xfinity Series standings.
