The 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs open with one driver carrying both momentum and expectation on his shoulders. Connor Zilisch, the 19-year-old rookie driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, has dominated the regular season. He’s amassed a whooping nine victories, 17 top-10 finishes, and the regular-season championship. He sits with +59 points, topping the table, almost double the points of the second-place Justin Allgaier. For now, Zilisch is the clear favorite heading into the Round of 12, and he knows it. His recent comments paint a calm and confident mentality with a special road course in sight.

Road courses have defined Zilisch’s rise from his 2024 Watkins Glen debut win to his 2025 sweep at the same track. On that day, he led 60 of 82 laps en route to victory. Many a

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