Dale Jr.’s JR Motorsports phenom Connor Zilisch has been blazing through the early stretch of the 2025 Xfinity Series season. Over the past few weeks, the electrifying rookie has racked up three consecutive wins, becoming the youngest driver in history to reach six career Xfinity victories, surpassing Joey Logano’s long-standing record. His streak has showcased dominance across road courses, superspeedways, and short ovals, marking him as one of the sport’s most versatile rising stars.

But Zilisch’s red-hot run came to a dramatic halt at Iowa Speedway. After leading early and remaining a threat deep into the final laps, his bid for a fourth straight win unraveled in a tense overtime showdown. In a twist of fate, an ex-JRM driver surged ahead to steal the checkered flag, ending Connor’s charge in high-stakes fashion and reminding the field that no streak is safe in NASCAR’s pressure cooker.

Ex-JRM driver wins his first race for the Haas Factory Team

Connor’s winning streak was broken by none other than Sam Mayer. Mayer spent three and a half seasons driving for JR Motorsports, beginning his tenure upon turning 18 at Pocono in 2021 until mid-2024. During the period, he matured under the guidance of crew chief Mardy Lindley and became a consistent front-runner, including a four-win season in 2023 and a berth in the Championship 4. Mayer’s time at JRM shaped his identity in NASCAR, piloting the No. 1 Chevrolet and forging his reputation as one of the series’ top young talents.

In 2025, Mayer took his talents to the newly rebranded Haas Factory Team, signing a multi-year contract and taking over the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse beginning with the season opener at Daytona. He made an immediate impact, finishing second at Daytona and the team’s debut, followed by multiple top-five runs, and then capturing his first win of 2025 at Iowa dramatically. His victory at Iowa not only marked Haas Factory Team’s first win but also underscored Mayer’s strong transition and growing influence within his new program.

So the hard work has finally paid off. The 22-year-old started the Hy-Vee Perks 250 from fifth on the grid, having posted a lap time just 0.158 seconds off pole time during qualifying at Iowa Speedway. Throughout the race, Mayer worked his way forward in a competitive field, battling through traffic and staying in contention across the stages. In a tense overtime finish, Sam surged ahead to take the checkered flag by a razor-thin margin ahead of Jesse Love, who was the pole sitter. It was a masterful drive, holding his nerve when it mattered most and clinching the Iowa win for the first time with Haas Factory Team. But this win meant more as he blocked JR Motorsport‘s rising star’s streak.

Connor Zilisch arrived at Iowa riding a torrid hot streak, having won three previous Xfinity races and matching a feat only ever achieved by Sam Ard (1983) and Noah Gragson (2022), and entered the weekend aiming for a fourth consecutive win. Qualifying didn’t go in his favor for a potential sweep either. Connor qualified fourth, behind Jesse Love on pole, William Sawalich at P2, and Carson Hocevar, just 0.126 seconds off the pole lap. Despite an aggressive start and leading opening-stage laps, Iowa proved to be the place where his winning run had finally halted.

While Zilisch showed early strength, grabbing stage points and battling at the front, he ultimately finished fourth, handing it to Sam Mayer. That snapped his bid for a fourth straight victory and ended the streak that had seen him win three in a row. Disappointed, the performance still underscored his consistency over the past nine races; he had averaged a 2.1 finish, including multiple wins and podiums, making this Iowa result more of a slight blip than a collapse. But this race for the Jeff Gordon parallel driver is definitely one to forget.

Connor Zilisch’s angry radio rant amid a pit road mishap that cost him a win

Connor Zilisch’s afternoon at Iowa Speedway didn’t unravel all at once; it happened in stages, and his frustration over the radio made it clear. The JR Motorsports rookie looked untouchable early, winning Stage 1 and leading much of the opening run. But after a loose wheel forced him back to a pit road for an unscheduled stop, Zilisch started from the rear of the field, turning what had been a dominant drive into a recovery mission.

From there, the tone of his race shifted sharply. Zilisch fought his way up from 25th, picking off aces lap by lap, but the heavy traffic tested his patience. And it was not long before he snapped over his radio. He said, “ I’m about to get passed by f—— Parker Retzlaff. What place are we?” The frustration crackled in his voice. His spot urged him to calm down and focus, knowing the final stage would demand composure if Zilisch wanted any shot at salvaging his bid for a fourth straight win.

Despite the setback, Connor’s raw pace was undeniable; he still led 62 laps before the pit stop mistake changed the complexion of his race. From that moment forward, it was Jesse Love and Ross Chastain who took control of the tempo, with Justin in particular showing the kind of speed he desperately needed to carry into his Cup Series run the following day. Zilisch, meanwhile, found himself stuck clawing for track position, unable to dominate as he had in prior weeks.

Late race strategy offered a glimmer of hope. Green-flag pit stops loomed, and the prospect of caution or an overtime restart seemed like Zilisch’s best chance to claw back to the front. But with Chastain and Taylor Gray executing flawlessly in the second half of the race, there was little room for error. Iowa ultimately became the place where Connor’s three-race winning streak finally met its match, not because he lacked speed but because the margin for mistakes at this level is razor-thin and on this day, one misstep proved costly.