The drivers in the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series have reached the precipice. An experienced vet, a young phenom, a hungry rookie and a competitive underdog are all in on the chase of this year’s championship Saturday at Phoenix Raceway for the conclusion of the NASCAR championship series.
The NASCAR Xfinity series is the second-highest NASCAR racing division, sitting behind the Cup Series and above the Craftsman Truck Series, and has been known as the proving grounds for NASCAR prospects, a series where drivers can make a case for racing at the next level.
So far this season, Connor Zilisch, the rookie sensation, has dominated, leading the series with 10 wins. Zilisch sits in a prime position to win the series championship at just 19 years old, sparking speculation that he might be one of the greatest prospects the sport has ever seen.
However, it won’t be easy. The three other contenders in the Xfinity series championship, Justin Allgaier, Carson Kvapil and Jesse Love, all have their sights set on doing whatever it takes to win the Cup.
Zilisch, like two other drivers in contention for the Cup this weekend, is a part of the JR Motorsports team. He hopes to continue his dominance and leave Arizona as the second youngest NXS champion ever.
The 19-year-old JR Motorsports driver didn’t finish in Talladega due to a wreck and placed ninth last week in Martinsville, bringing an end to his NXS record-breaking 18 top-five finishes in a row. Zilisch won’t let his finishes change his mentality heading into the final race.
“I think momentum is a thing in sports, but not when you’re going to Talladega and a Martinsville cutoff race,” Zilisch said. “I’m not going to let those finishes change the way I think or feel about how consistent we’ve been. I feel like no matter what, we’ll be a contender this weekend and we’ll have a chance at it.”
Allgaier, a JR Motorsports racer, is the oldest driver out of the contenders at 39, and also the most accomplished. He is the most recent winner of the Xfinity Cup, taking it home in a dramatic finish that saw him secure the points lead and a ride down victory lane with a second-place finish.
“I’m excited for this weekend,” Allgaier said. “The only advantage that I probably have over these three is that I’ve at least been in this scenario and I’ve dealt with the stresses and all the things that go with it.”
Allgaier is hoping to win back-to-back titles, with a sense of freedom knowing that he’s reached the top step at Phoenix Raceway before.
“It’s funny, I’m coming into this weekend with no stress at all,” Allgaier said. “I’m just pumped … winning one last year has allowed me to be a lot more free, I’m not as nervous.”
Carson Kvapil, the third JR Motorsports racer in the championship and pilot of the No. 1 car, has yet to earn a win in the NXS this season. However, his consistent top 10 finishes have helped him secure the points needed to reach the final four contenders.
“Some people might say if they didn’t win the championship that it would be a failure,” Kvapil said. “We don’t have a lot of expectation or anything to go finish second or win the championship, and if not, then it’s a failure, we’re happy to be here… we’re going to do everything we can to win this championship.”
Kvapil added that that “having that underdog status, the legs folded, lying back in the seat, is kind of cool. I can watch all these guys mentally freak out, and we can go do our job, take advantage of their mistakes, and be more aggressive than all of them.”
Kvapil will be looking for his first NXS title in his rookie year and is chasing a family milestone. The 22-year-old hopes to surpass his father, Travis Kvapil, who won the NASCAR Truck series, the third-highest racing division, in 2003.
“I’m super proud, and he is obviously proud of him winning that championship,” Kvapil said. “It solidified our name into the top three series. If I could one-up him by getting an Xfinity Series championship, I think it would be a good argument point for the household. … It’d be cool to carry on his legacy.”
Jesse Love, the No. 2 car and Richard Childress Racing driver, finds himself right in the middle of the championship push. The 2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year is one of the most successful drivers this season, boasting one victory and 21 top 10 finishes.
The 20-year-old struggled last week at Martinsville, finishing 23rd, his worst finish of the year. Love hopes to drown out the noise of whether he’s underrated or overrated and focus on his own self-confidence.
“Maybe a little bit underrated,” Love said. “In everybody’s mind, I’m probably the third-ranked guy throughout the season. … I don’t know, I don’t really give a s— if people overrate me or underrate me. It doesn’t change anything for me a whole lot.
“What’s really important is how I feel about myself, and I feel really confident.”
An electric night of racing awaits the final four Xfinity Series Championship contenders at the Phoenix raceway as an entire season of racing, action and drama reaches its peak in the Valley.
“Have all your ducks in a row,” Love said. “Be present in something that is unlike any sport you’ve ever been to.”
Be the first to comment