Parker Kligerman. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Why Parker Kligerman replaced Connor Zilisch mid-race

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 10:45 PM ET

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch won't have the view he wants to have during the closing laps of Friday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Zilisch, who recently had surgery on a broken collarbone suffered in an Aug. 9 fall at Watkins Glen, was replaced by Parker Kligerman during Stage 1 of Friday's Wawa 250.

#NASCAR... @ConnorZilisch, still on the mend from a broken collarbone, has hopped out of the No. 88 @JRMotorsports Chevrolet, making way for relief driver Parker Kligerman.

Kligerman remains on the lead-lap and will have to drop to the rear for this restart.

: @JaredBMedia pic.twitter.com/qZswJMUCTa
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) August 23, 2025

The change was made under yellow flag conditions. Zilisch started the race from the pole after qualifying was canceled, but he quickly dropped to the back in an effort to keep his No. 88 Chevrolet clean.

Since he started the race, Zilisch will receive championship points for wherever Kligerman finishes. Should Kligerman go on to win the race, however, Zilisch will not earn playoff points.

Zilisch entered Friday's race with a seven-point lead over defending series champion Justin Allgaier in the regular-season standings. With only three races left in the regular season including Daytona, every point is crucial.

Zilisch does plan to run the entirety of the Aug. 30 race at Portland International Raceway. The Xfinity Series regular-season finale will take place at Gateway on Sept. 6, with the playoffs beginning at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 12.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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