INDIANAPOLIS -- Connor Zilisch is only a rookie, but he has made a major impact on JR Motorsports. His latest feat was scoring the Xfinity Series team's 100th career win.
Zilisch battled Taylor Gray in the closing five laps, and he used air to get the Joe Gibbs Racing driver loose on multiple occasions. He took the lead once but lost it. Zilisch then took the lead for good after getting Gray loose and receiving a push from Sam Mayer.
Jr. Nation, let's hear you!
Congratulations @JRMotorsports on earning 100 Xfinity Series victories. pic.twitter.com/WkrBEwsgxG
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 26, 2025
After that, it was smooth sailing to the checkered flag. Zilisch raced his way to the win, his third consecutive, and then he did two massive burnouts.
Zilisch now has five wins this season, the most in the Xfinity Series. He has 29 playoff points, which will only help him once the regular season ends.
"Man, this is really awesome," Zilisch said after the race. "Those bricks look really kissable, and I'm ready to kiss them. Man, this is awesome. 100 wins for JRM!"
.@ConnorZilisch with his 3rd #XfinitySeries victory in a row, 5th of the season and 6th of his career!
And he just turned 19!!! 😱 pic.twitter.com/bGfxjVjMUv
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) July 26, 2025
The rookie didn't have the dominant car during the early portions of the race. Instead, it was teammate Justin Allgaier who was in control early.
The driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet led a race-high 37 laps and scored a stage 2 win, but he ended the race early. Contact from Kyle Larson late in the race led to Allgaier slamming into the outside wall. This led to race-ending damage.
It was actually during this incident that Zilisch took control of the race. He dove to the inside as Allgaier and Larson collided, and he took the lead in the process. Contact from Brandon Jones did little damage to the No. 88 Chevrolet.
This 100th win capped off a journey that began two decades ago. JR Motorsports started its first Xfinity Series race in 2005 with Mark McFarland. Mark Martin then scored the team's first-ever win in 2008 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The list of drivers who contributed to the milestone mark is extensive. It includes Allgaier, Zilisch, Martin, Brad Keselowski, Ron Fellows, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Michael Annett, Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick, Shane van Gisbergen, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Noah Gragson, Sammy Smith, Larson, Elliott Sadler, Josh Berry, Regan Smith, and Mayer.
Fast-forward to 2025, and it was one of NASCAR's top prospects who delivered the historic 100th win after a late battle with a fellow rookie.
"Oh, man, he's a hell of a driver," an ecstatic Earnhardt Jr. said after the race. "He just went up there and got (the lead) back. He's got great race cars, a good race car underneath him. He did what he needed to do."