The NASCAR Xfinity Series took to the long and winding road course in Austin, Texas for the Focused Health 250. The third race of the season, the first non-drafting track, gave the drivers another opportunity to stamp their spot in the playoffs. Connor Zilisch got the best starting spot after earning the pole. Ross Chastain, his teammate, joined him on the front row. After post-practice adjustments, 10 cars were forced to start the race from the rear.
Zilisch is still fast…
Zilisch got a great start. He dove to the inside of turn one to pull out in front of Chastain. William Byron was able to get by Chastain for second place. But Chastain did not wait long. He lunged into turn 12 and retook his spot. The field fanned out around the track. The first caution came out when Carson Hocevar went nose-first into a tire barrier. He had some help from Jeb Burton.
Zilisch and Chastain brought the field back to green. Chastain got a great lunge out of turn one, but Zilisch carried more speed through the esses to keep his lead. Sheldon Creed, Nicholas Sanchez, and Carson Kvapil all got spun around in turn 20. They all get turned the right way, and no caution was thrown.
Zilisch gathered some debris while leading. It did not bother him one bit as he kept up and built on his lead. He was half a second faster per lap than Byron and Chastain behind him. The second caution came out when Baltazar Leguizamón stopped on the track. Zilisch was penalized due to pitting under a closed pit road. That caution ended the stage. Byron got the stage win after Zilisch pitted.
Pit road was busy under the yellow. Most of the cars pitted for tires and field. Byron and Austin Hill got out first and second.
A Lot Going On
Taylor Gray and Jesse Love restarted from the front row. Gray got a good launch, but Love was able to stay with him into turn one. Gray, with the preferred position, took the lead into the esses. Love did not give up. They finished the first lap of stage two side by side. Love dove underneath Gray into turn one. He was able to snatch the lead. Riley Herbst was also able to pass Gray. Kvapil also passed Gray to move into fourth.
Love maintained a slim lead over Herbst and Kvapil. He kept them about half a second, and a second behind him. Jeremy Clements, making his 500th start, got turned around and went into a tire barrier. The caution was thrown to inspect and fix the barrier.
The restart came on lap 32. Love and Herbst were getting attacked immediately. Herbst was able to jump out front in the lead. Zilisch, after his pit road penalty, drove through the field quickly. A few cautions helped, but he drove from the rear and into the top ten with eight laps left in stage two.
Justin Allgaier, battling a tire rub on the left front, pitted to repair damage on his racecar. He then had to pit again for a flat right rear. He ultimately went a lap down as Herbst passed him in the esses. Herbst tried to pass him cleanly but could not. That allowed Kvapil and Chastain to catch up and battle for the lead.
Pit Stops
Kvapil stopped for tires and fuel to short pit the stage. Zilisch joined Kvapil on pit road. Zilisch made his way up to sixth before stopping. Love also stopped, following the same strategy. The top five all pitted, coming to two (when pit road closes) to go in the stage, handing the lead to Harrison Burton. Ryan Seig was penalized for short-cutting the track. Chastain, Herbst, and Creed were caught speeding on pit road. Burton went on to get his first stage win of the season!
Battle for the Lead
Kvapil and Byron restarted the race out front. Zilisch pushed his luck into turn one. He tried to pass Kvapil on the inside, but it only opened the door for Austin Hill to take the lead. Corey Heim moved into second. Zilisch tank-slapped Heim out of the way to take the spot. Both cars drove away with damage. Anthony Alfredo got spun around in turn 14. He was able to keep it moving, so no caution was thrown.
Zilisch began chasing down Kvapil for second, but he locked up his right front tire trying to make time on the leader. Hill overshot turn 12 which allowed Kvapil and Zilisch to make the pass for first and second. Hill fell to third. That’s when Zilisch began his offensive. He began to use his road course expertise to challenge Kvapil for the lead.
With 10 to go, Zilisch continued to push Kvapil for the lead. They built an almost three-second lead over Hill in third. H. Burton slowed down on the front stretch but was able to keep it going. Kvapil locked up his right front tire, allowing Zilisch to take the lead into turn one.
Late Race Charge
Kvapil did not give up. He continued to push Zilisch to some avail. Zilisch was not able to drive off as expected. They made contact, but Kvapil could not get back to the lead. As the heat was turned up for the lead, Byron slowly crept into view. He gained time as each lap ticked by. Kvapil held on until his right front tire blew. He was able to keep the car straight to get onto pit road.
Zilisch checked out after the misfortunes for Kvapil. He held a four-second lap over Byron in fourth. Zilisch began to throttle back, allowing Byron to gain almost two seconds on him. He took the white flag and then the checkered flag! Connor Zilisch took home the trophy from the Focused Health 250!
Marvin’s Minute:
Connor Zilisch is the real deal on a road course. He knows where to put the car and, more importantly, when to push his abilities. When he got sent to the rear, I did not think he would be able to drive through the field like he did. The kid has talent. He is locked into the playoffs. While he has a lot to learn on the ovals, I feel he can learn those fairly efficiently. What a drive from the young one.
