TC Daily Pit Stop: Connor Zilisch Wins in NASCAR Xfinity Debut; Chastain on Cup Pole
TC Daily Pit Stop: Connor Zilisch Wins in NASCAR Xfinity Debut; Chastain on Cup Pole
TC Daily Pit Stop: Sunday, September 15, 2024
HAPPY NASCAR CUP SERIES RACEDAY MORNING!
It’s going to be a good day, folks as the NASCAR Cup Series is set to compete in a 90-lap slugfest around the 7-turn, 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International road course. Today’s pre-race show starts at 2:30 PM ET on USA (NBC Sports App) and the race broadcast will kick off at 3:00 PM ET on USA (NBC Sports App).
Connor Zilisch Wins at Watkins Glen in NASCAR Xfinity Series Debut
Well, how about that weekend for 18-year-old Connor Zilisch? The young prodigy picked up the pole and won in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series race at Watkins Glen, and he backed that up by doing the same in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, which was his series debut.
While Zilisch started from pole, won Stage 1, and led a race-high 45 laps on his path to the overall race win, it wasn’t a walk in the park. Zilisch and the No. 88 JR Motorsports team had to overcome a questionable strategy call in Stage 1, the driver’s mental error at the end of Stage 2, and a fuel supply that was dwindling in the closing laps to win the race. They did just that.
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POST-RACE RESOURCES
MORE NASCAR HEADLINES:
Ross Chastain Earns Second Career Pole at Watkins Glen International: Ross Chastain was emotional after scoring his second-career pole on Saturday at Watkins Glen. One, because he isn’t the fastest on qualifying day often, and two, it was the culmination of a lot of hard work for the driver to improve at road racing. FULL STARTING LINEUP HERE
Juan Pablo Montoya Excited to Return to NASCAR After Decade-Long Hiatus: 48-year-old Juan Pablo Montoya will become the 39th driver in NASCAR history to make a NASCAR Cup start more than a decade after their most recent start when he fires up his No. 50 23XI Racing Toyota on Sunday at Watkins Glen. Montoya says, “It’s really good to be back,” and he expects to run well. He’ll start from the 34th position on Sunday.
NASCAR TRIVIA:
NEED SOME HINTS?
Has gone on to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship
Didn’t accomplish the feat for JR Motorsports
DID YOU GET OUR LAST QUESTION CORRECT?
Q: How many NASCAR road course wins does Kaulig Racing have?
A: 14. Only 12% of voters got this one correct. Kaulig Racing has two NASCAR Cup Series wins at road courses, which came with AJ Allmendinger. Allmendinger has also amassed nine road course victories for the team in the Xfinity Series while Shane van Gisbergen has added three more to the total this season.
51% of voters selected 6.