Tears welled in his eyes as Connor Zilisch uttered two words, “I’m sorry,” over the team radio moments after the checkout flag fell at Phoenix Raceway. For a driver who had conquered nearly everything this season, the defeat felt unreal. 10 wins weren’t enough to seal the title, and under the desert night, his season took a heartbreaking turn. Zilisch rolled off the field in third place after looking poised to bring home the championship.

Ready to face his best friend, Jesse Love. Both entered the race with the score heavily tilted, 10 to one in favor of Love’s season wins. But with both drivers locked into the Championship 4, the previous victories meant nothing. It was a winner-take-all showdown under the desert lights, and sadly, Zilisch got the shorter end of the stick.

Connor Zilisch admits that this defeat will sting

It all came undone in the closing laps for the 19-year-old phenom, who had a record-breaking season. Fighting back the tears in his post-race interview, he said, “You bust your a-s for 33 weeks and you know, I feel like we’ve done the best job we could all year long. And yeah, we just didn’t, didn’t have it today. So, you know, I’m so proud of this team. We have nothing to hang our heads about. But yeah, this one is going to sting.” 

Zilisch, who had been in contention throughout the race, leading 27 laps, began to fade as the checkered flag came in view. Aric Almirola slipped past him for a second, leaving Zilisch to settle for third, a heartbreaking end to what would have been a dream season. It was definitely a disappointment to fall just short after months of hard work. The youngster didn’t hide his emotions on pit road either, as he slumped against his car, tears falling as he tried to regain composure.

Meanwhile, Jesse Love rose to the occasion when it mattered most. Coming alive in the final stage, he executed a decisive pass on Zilisch with 24 laps to go and never looked back. As for Zilisch, he was seen getting consoled by Dale Earnhardt Jr. But on the brighter side of things, the ‘generational talent’ still has his Cup ride with Trackhouse Racing, but for now, the world feels for him as the Xfinity title gets snatched from him.

To add insult to the injury, just a few days earlier, Kevin Harvick had expressed high hopes for the North Carolina native. He said, “If those two guys don’t win the championship, it’s an embarrassment,” referring to Truck Series and Xfinity Series favorites Corey Heim and Zilisch, respectively. And while Heim pulled through to secure his Truck Series title, Zilisch came up short. Now, that embarrassment came through as Harvick took a dig at the 19-year-old’s loss by sharing a GIF of a dumpster can on fire on X.

But in all fairness, Zilisch couldn’t help but shake hands with his best friend, who ousted him for the 2025 Xfinity title. But this isn’t just about Zilisch’s loss. JR Motorsports came in with 3 talented drivers and a handful of dreams, but the rest of the team was roped into the slump.

The Championship finale ends in heartbreak for JRM

Besides Zilisch, the pressure of the title hopes was laid on Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil. Allgaier, the 2024 Xfinity champion, dominated much of the race by leading 84 laps, but a slow pit stop during the final caution proved costly. The setback dropped him down the order, and he ultimately finished fifth on the night, placing third in the overall championship standings.

Rookie Carson Kvapil, meanwhile, spent most of the race battling mid-pack between 10th and 15th, ultimately settling for 13th place. However, there is still a silver lining: his recent promotion to a full-time Xfinity ride with JR Motorsports is a promising new chapter for 2026.

JR Motorsports entered the Phoenix finale with strength in numbers, fielding three of the four Championship 4 contenders. Yet, despite that advantage, they once again walked away empty-handed, the second time in four years to a rival organization. Ty Gibbs won back in 2022, and Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love spoiled the party this time around. Still, there’s one thing certain about Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s camp: it’s that they’ll return next season hungrier than ever.