Connor Zilisch back on pole for NASCAR Xfinity race at Watkins Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Connor Zilisch is back on the pole in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with teammate Shane van Gisbergen sharing the front row for Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen.
Zilisch now has five poles on the season, the most of anyone in the Xfinity Series. He is the only driver to beat SVG in Xfinity so far this season. He handed SVG a defeat in the Sonoma race and has shut him out of a pole for the first time in three Xfinity starts this season.
Starting third is Taylor Gray who has been red hot but is still looking for his first win. If not for an issue on pit road, Gray might’ve shut Sam Mayer out of a win at Iowa Speedway. Mayer starts fourth.
William Sawalich rounds out the top five and has really picked up the pace in recent weeks. He still needs a win to get into the playoffs, however.
Kaz Grala will start eighth in just his third Xfinity start since racing full-time for Sam Hunt Racing in 2023.
Cup drivers Michael McDowell and Riley Herbst will start 12th and 16th, respectively.
McDowell’s teammate, Christian Eckes, will start 36th after a crash in practice with SVG and Mayer.
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen Qualifying Results and Lineup
- Connor Zilisch
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Taylor Gray
- Sam Mayer
- William Sawalich
- Sammy Smith
- Nick Sanchez
- Kaz Grala
- Justin Allgaier
- Austin Hill
- Sheldon Creed
- Michael McDowell
- Brandon Jones
- Carson Kvapil
- Jesse Love
- Riley Herbst
- Harrison Burton
- Austin Green
- Dean Thompson
- Anthony Alfredo
- Daniel Dye
- Parker Retzlaff
- Jeb Burton
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Thomas Annunziata
- Stefan Parsons
- Josh Bilicki
- Kyle Sieg
- Ryan Sieg
- Jeremy Clements
- Brennan Poole
- Blaine Perkins
- Ryan Ellis
- Preston Pardus
- Glen Reen
- Christian Eckes
- Garrett Smithley
- Austin J. Hill
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com