Latest news with #JrMotorsports
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Zilisch Thought Shane van Gisbergen Would Race Him 'Cleaner' for Xfinity Chicago Street Race Win
Temporary Jr Motorsports teammates Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch started on opposite ends of the field in Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity The Loop 110, and they would finish within feet of each other after battling into turn one on the final restart. The Cup Series regular, van Gisbergen, would take the lead from his teammate on the restart with two laps to go. This was the first time the duo battled against each other, and Zilisch thinks that in the end, that was his downfall. Zilisch, after hitting the wall in practice and the subsequent adjustments, started at the back of the field. From last, according to the broadcast, he passed 123 cars on his way to the lead before the final restart that pitted him against van Gisbergen, who had just run back through the field after a bold strategy move didn't pay off. On the restart, Zilisch, who races full time in Xfinity, thought van Gisbergen, as a temporary and potential future teammate, would race him cleaner. "I thought he was going to race me a little bit cleaner," Zilisch told The CW Sports. Zilisch admitted that he could've held his ground more and not given up his inside on the entry to left-handed turn one. "I should have just not let him get to my bottom, I was clear there," Zilisch said. "I let him get to my inside, and he took advantage of it." The 18-year-old found himself in control of the race late as van Gisbergen took a different strategy call than the majority of the field, pitting twice and tumbling down the leaderboard as Zilisch ran through the pack. The two-lap dash was set when Andre Castro ended up in the Turn 6 tire pack, shortly before the caution Creed waived van Gisbergen who had much fresher tires for the teammate battle, also quite possibly to not record yet another second-place finish. Zilisch let van Gisbergen get to his inside because he wanted to protect his line into turn 2, expecting that his teammate wouldn't use him up the corner before. "I wouldn't consider it dirty at all. I could have just done a better job keeping leverage, but I let him get a nose ahead of me, and at that point, it's his corner and he can do what he wants to. I just didn't expect it, so I wish I could have it back," Zilisch told media members, including Road & Track. While Zilisch doesn't see van Gisbergen's move as dirty, he didn't expect it, and the young driver will change how he races against him in the future. Zilisch says that he'll be better prepared to race against van Gisbergen next week at Sonoma. "I look forward to racing him again at Sonoma," Zilisch said at the end of his CW interview. van Gisbergen became the sixth driver to win for JR Motorsports this year, with all four full-time drivers winning and Kyle Larson winning when he filled in for Zilisch at Texas Motor Speedway this spring. Sheldon Creed followed the Jr Motorsports drivers for a third-place finish. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car Error al recuperar los datos Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dale Earnhardt Jr Just Won His First Race as a NASCAR Crew Chief
Dale Earnhardt Jr was asked to step in as crew chief for Connor Zilisch in the 18-year-old rookie's first attempt at Pocono Raceway. After two runner-up finishes in the last five races, he finally has his first win on an oval. Zilisch's regular crew chief, Mardy Lindley, was set to serve a one-race suspension following a penalty for two missing lug nuts at Nashville Speedway earlier this month. Jr. Motorsports saw it as an opportunity to get the boss closer to the action, and Earnhardt Jr. was tapped to replace him. With seven laps remaining, Zilisch restarted third and passed Christian Eckes for second on the restart. A few laps later, he was battling with his friend and fellow Xfinity race winner Jesse Love for the lead. Zilisch secured the lead over Love with four laps to go, with fellow rookie Eckes following in third. Earnhardt Jr. swept Pocono as a Cup Series racer in 2014 with the help of his longtime crew chief Steve Letarte, who was with Earnhardt for support in his first crew chief appearance. "When we have an issue like this with somebody being suspended, they know what to do. Just a great job putting us in a position to succeed," Earnhardt told The CW Sports' Dillon Welch. Since Zilisch sat out the Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway following his big late-race incident with Love at Talladega, he's finished in the top five every race, finishing second back-to-back at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Nashville. Zilisch, who came up through road course and sports car racing, has been an easy bet on the road courses but was dying to prove himself as a rookie with staying power in the Xfinity Series and beyond with an oval win. "I've been dying for this one for a while now, I know that it doesn't feel like that long," The 18-year-old told CW's Kim Coon. "Dale Jr, not too bad on the box," Zilisch added. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Brandon Jones Holds Off NASCAR Cup Regulars to Win Xfinity Series Race at Darlington
Brandon Jones broke his 98-race winless streak dating back to 2022 on Saturday evening at Darlington Raceway after reuniting with Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2025 season. Jones spent the last two seasons at Jr Motorsports, where he went winless. This win marks Jones' sixth career win and second at Darlington Raceway. After starting on the outside pole, Jones spent the majority of the race in the top ten, finishing stage one in sixth and taking the lead for the first time off the stage brake caution's pit stop. The JGR driver improved to fourth in stage two. Jones was leading the final stage, and the three Cup drivers of Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, and Ross Chastain were all racing behind him in the top five. In an aggressive attempt to make it to the front, Chastain rubbed Bell, leading to a wrinkled fender for Chastain and a tire rub for Bell. Jones' JGR teammate was a heavy favorite to take the win at Darlington before his contact with Chastain. Elliott, in his one Xfinity start of the 2025 season, was unable to chase down Jones on the final 13-lap sprint to the checkered flag. Both Jones and Elliott restarted on the bottom, and Jones got out to an early lead, but Elliott didn't start cutting into the lead in the final few laps. The Hendrick Motorsports regular settles for second ahead of Xfinity Series Championship points leader Justin Allgaier. "I got to where I wanted to and I was just tight there," Elliott told The CW Sports. "I couldn't turn and finally started to turn a little better and started making some time on him with two or three to go, at that point, we were just out of time. It was a crazy day, a lot going on." You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
