Junior Motorsports star Connor Zilisch was all set to race in Xfinity Series round at the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. However, the 18-year-old prodigy suffered a back injury last weekend at Talladega, ruling him out of the Austin weekend. Now, JRM has announced that Kyle Larson will be filling in for Zilisch in the No. 88 car this time around.
In Talladega, Connor Zilisch was involved in a heavy wreck. The teenager was battling for the lead of the race, when he collided with RCR’s Jesse Love in a bid to block his run. Zilisch’s car slid head-first into the inside wall. The JRM driver complained about his back on the radio right after the crash.
On X, JRM issued a statement informing fans that Kyle Larson will be subbing in for Connor Zilisch in Texas, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet. As the 18-year-old recovers from the injury.
Zilisch replied to the post, thanking Larson for agreeing to fill in for him this weekend. While he assured fans that he will be back into the cockpit as soon as possible. On the other hand, Kyle Larson did not immediately give an update on social media.
Thank you to @KyleLarsonRacin for stepping up for me this weekend and everyone who has helped me through this process. Doing everything I can to be back as soon as possible.
Connor Zilisch wrote on X.
Kyle Larson to be back in Xfinity Series amid polarizing remarks
Larson has made headlines for making some controversial statements in recent weeks. The Cup Series star has won Xfinity races in the past as he enjoys racing in the sport’s second tier. However, Kyle Larson recently made it clear that he raced in the Xfinity Series to embarrass the rest of the field.
The HMS star faced backlash over his comments from fans and critics alike. So much so, that Larson was forced to explain the real meaning behind his words. The 32-year-old asserted that he is able to help push drivers in the Xfinity Series when he gets a chance to race against them.
Kyle Larson’s appearance in Texas will be one of the five Xfinity races he is allowed to appear in one season. The 32-year-old enjoys to race against drivers in the sport’s second tier and fans can expect some great racing this weekend.
Moreover, Larson is all set to make his second attempt at the Indy 500 this year, his last for the foreseeable future. For the iconic race, the 32-year-old has picked ‘whole milk’ as his milk preference if he manages to get to victory lane.
The HMS star certainly has a fully packed calendar for the month of May with several duties across different categories. This is a good thing for fans who will be able to enjoy seeing their star driver on-track.
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