XFINITY Series Watkins Glen International

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Pit Stops

Mission 200 at the Glen

Saturday, September 14th, 2024

Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY

  • 26 Chevrolet
  • 6 Toyota
  • 8 Ford

  • Thursday, September 12th, 2024
  • NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain
Only two to go to decide NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff contenders

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is set to deliver the weekend’s first dose of close-quarter, high-skilled action at the hallowed Watkins Glen International road course. With only two races now remaining to formalize the 12-driver Playoff field, Saturday’s Mission 200 at The Glen (3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) could be a pivotal chapter in the title run.

JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer is the defending race winner, beating Sheldon Creed to the line last summer by a slight .909-second, with a third member of this year’s title contending group, Parker Kligerman, finishing third.

Mayer is the only current fulltime Xfinity Series driver to hoist the trophy in this race, although three other fulltime drivers have won at The Glen. Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill was the 2021 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner at the famed road course and his current RCR teammate Jesse Love won last year’s ARCA Menards Series race there. JRM’s Brandon Jones earned the 2022 ARCA trophy.

Hill won last week at Atlanta – his second win of the year, matching the win total for Regular Season Championship leader Justin Allgaier, Chandler Smith, and Sam Mayer. Kaulig Racing’s Shane Van Gisbergen is a three-race winner in 2024, scoring all three trophies on road courses (at Chicago, Sonoma, Calif. and Portland).

Another of the sport’s best road racing drivers, Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger is still looking to score his first Xfinity Series win at the track. A victory this weekend would also be his first of the season, although he is the highest ranked driver (ninth) in terms of points without a win, with a safe 144-point advantage over Ryan Sieg in 13th place.

Sieg took a hard hit in points last week when he was collected in a late race multi-car accident at Atlanta. He now trails JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith by 44 points for that 12th and final Playoff points position.

What looked a lot like a championship lock for Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer has now become a close tussle between the reigning series champ Custer and Allgaier. The 26-year-old Californian, Custer, led Allgaier by double digits only three races ago, but three finishes of 30th or worse in the last four races have instead left him 34 points behind Allgaier with just two races to decide the regular season title.

Connor Zilisch is set to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this weekend, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.

There are also several fulltime NASCAR Cup Series drivers entered from Joey Logano to William Byron, Ross Chastain, Ty Gibbs and part-time competitor Aric Almirola. International drivers Ed Jones and Alon Day are also on the entry list.

  • Mission 200 at the Glen
  • Pole Winner: Connor Zilisch
  • Age: 18
  • Team : No 88 - Carolina Carports Chevrolet
  • Owner: Dale Earnhardt, Jr
  • Crew Chief: Andrew Overstreet
  • Connor Zilisch won the Pole Award for the Mission 200 at the Glen with a lap of 71028 seconds, 124176 mph
  • This is his first pole in one NASCAR Xfinity Series races
  • This is his first pole and first top-10 start in 2024
  • This is his first pole in one races at Watkins Glen International
  • Ty Gibbs (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2024 and his third in four races at Watkins Glen International
  • AJ Allmendinger (third) posted his fifth top-10 start at Watkins Glen International It is his 18th in 25 races this season
  • Jesse Love (11th) was the fastest qualifying rookie

  • Saturday, September 14th, 2024
  • NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain
Connor Zilisch wins from the pole in Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen

Introducing. … Connor Zilisch.

The 18-year-old North Carolina native made his formal entrée into big time NASCAR racing with a major statement holding off the field on a pair of thrilling overtime restarts at the historic 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International road course to claim his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in his first career start.

The Mission 200 at The Glen finished under caution with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Sheldon Creed finishing runner-up – for a record 12th time – emerging from a three-wide battle for second place with a multi-car accident farther behind in the field bringing out the yellow flag that ultimately froze the field.

“I worked so hard for this one,” a smiling Zilisch said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I’ve been working for this one for months and it’s so special to me, man. I don’t even have words.

“I don’t know how I saved enough, I sputtered up the hill,” he said of having to save fuel in the closing laps which included a restart with two laps remaining and then two more in overtime.

“With two to go, I didn’t think I was going to make it back to the line even. I’m going to enjoy this one for a while. I can’t say enough about JR Motorsports and everyone who supports me.”

Zilisch, who also won in class in this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona IMSA race, is the seventh driver to win in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start – a list that includes the legendary Dale Earnhardt and current NASCAR Cup Series standout Ty Gibbs. And he becomes the second youngest race winner- to Joey Logano – in series history at 18 years, one month and 23 days.

It was that kind of weekend for the young driver, who led a race best 45 of the 90 laps after earning his first career Xfinity Series pole position earlier Saturday. On Friday, he claimed his fifth ARCA Menards Series victory in seven starts.

His work Saturday wasn’t necessarily an “easy” win, however. He really had to earn it – rallying from a mid-race penalty and managing fuel in the closing laps.

In an unusual situation during a caution, Zilisch received a penalty while running among the top-three late in the race. NASCAR ruled the top-running trio – also including Gibbs and Sammy Smith – cut the course and the penalty sent them all to the rear for the restart. Zilisch rallied from 31st-place and was top-five 20 laps later.

Creed, who is still competing for that first series victory after so many close calls, smiled on pit road Saturday, conceding this time his second-place finish was one he could actually be pleased with instead of seeing it as a near-miss. His rally on the final lap getting the best of some of the best road course drivers was a small victory in and of itself.

“Just trying to keep the nose on it there, actually really fun,” Creed said of the last lap battle. “I felt like that was the battle for the win probably there if the 88 [Zilisch] ran out [of fuel]. I thought I put myself in really good positions to end up second again. I’m actually happy, for how my day was going.”

He finished just ahead of Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger, the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ all-time road course best, JGR teammate Chandler Smith and Kaulig’s Shane van Gisbergen, who had won the season’s previous three road course races.

Van Gisbergen was so impressed with Zilisch that when he congratulated the teenager in Victory Lane, he smiled and suggested some team should put Zilisch in a NASCAR Cup Series car for Sunday’s race.

Zilisch’s took a call from team owner, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. during his winner’s press conference.

“Enjoy this, you never win your “first” again,” Earnhardt told him.

Ross Chastain, who won the pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the track earlier Saturday, finished sixth in the DGM Racing Chevrolet with Big Machine Racing’s Parker Kligerman scoring a seventh-place finish. Richard Childress Racing rookie Jesse Love was eighth, followed by Joey Logano in the AM Racing car and MBM Motorsports’ Josh Bilicki.

The race was impactful with only a single event now left in the regular season to determine the 12-driver Playoff field. JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier finished 17th after an eventful day when the veteran was collected in multiple multi-car incidents. But he still emerged as the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship leader by 43-points over defending series champion, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer, who finished 21st Saturday after also being caught up in incidents on track.

At the other end of the standings, JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith was able to slightly extend his advantage over RSS Racing’s Ryan Sieg for the 12th and final Playoff position. Despite a mechanical issue from his first green flag pit stop, Smith was able to rally to a 19th-place finish. Sieg, who collected points during the second stage, is now 44 points behind Smith heading to Bristol.

The regular season finale concludes with next Friday night’s Food City 300 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Current NASCAR Cup Series driver Noah Gragson is the defending race winner.

  • Drivers Entered: 41 (3 drivers will not make the race)
  • Laps Scheduled: 82
  • Laps Actual: 90 - NASCAR OVERTIME!
  • Margin of Victory: Under Caution Seconds
  • Time of Race: 2 Hours 35 Minutes 38 Seconds
  • Average Speed: 85.007
  • Cautions: 7 for 19 laps
  • Lead Changes: 10
  • Green Flag Passes: 1,916 (27.0 passes per green flag lap)

  • Watkins Glen International
  • Mission 200 at the Glen
  • Race Winner: Connor Zilisch
  • Age: 18
  • Team : No 88 - Carolina Carports Chevrolet
  • Owner: JR Motorsports
  • Crew Chief: Andrew Overstreet
  • Connor Zilisch won the Mission 200 at the Glen, his first victory in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut - he is the seventh different driver to win in their Xfinity Series debut
  • This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2024
  • This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in one race at Watkins Glen International
  • Sheldon Creed (second) posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Watkins Glen International It is his 16th top-10 finish in 2024
  • AJ Allmendinger (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in five races at Watkins Glen International
  • Shane Van Gisbergen (fifth) was the highest finishing rookie
  • Justin Allgaier leads the point standings by 43 points over Cole Custer
Cole Custer celebrates in victory lane
Avondale, Arizona - November 4, 2023 : Cole Custer, driver of the #00 Haas Automation Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.
Jared C TiltonGetty Images

Pit Stop Summary Report

Summary of each driver's pit stop during the race. Detailed Report is below the Summary Report.

Average Driver and Crew Pit Stop Time
Mission 200 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International Pit Stop Summary
DRIVER ST FIN STATUS # STOPS AVG DRV TIME DRV RNK AVG CREW TIME CREW RANK AVG TOT TIME TOT RNK FASTEST STOP SLOWEST STOP
Brandon Jones 16 28 Accident 3 21.591 1 17.144 11 38.735 1 22.394 47.249
Chandler Smith 6 4 Running 3 28.788 6 14.312 1 43.100 2 36.518 47.837
Cole Custer 15 21 Running 3 28.243 4 15.993 3 44.236 3 43.564 44.845
Sheldon Creed 9 2 Running 2 28.026 3 16.898 10 44.924 4 44.196 45.652
Austin Hill 10 33 Accident 3 29.072 13 16.016 4 45.088 5 43.232 48.059
Parker Kligerman 19 7 Running 2 28.906 9 16.282 5 45.188 6 44.367 46.009
Sam Mayer 5 20 Running 2 28.802 7 16.668 7 45.470 7 45.214 45.725
Ryan Sieg 14 22 Running 3 29.638 26 15.911 2 45.548 8 38.193 50.054
William Byron 7 12 Running 3 29.229 18 16.562 6 45.791 9 44.726 46.888
Brennan Poole 31 23 Running 3 29.098 14 16.716 8 45.814 10 38.462 51.074
Riley Herbst 12 13 Running 3 29.193 16 16.816 9 46.009 11 44.026 47.108
Shane van Gisbergen 13 5 Running 3 29.179 15 17.707 12 46.886 12 45.323 48.230
AJ Allmendinger 3 3 Running 3 29.039 11 18.116 13 47.155 13 46.333 48.287
Jeremy Clements 18 18 Running 2 27.994 2 19.669 18 47.662 14 46.695 48.629
Jesse Love 11 8 Running 3 29.319 20 18.393 14 47.712 15 44.824 50.029
Justin Allgaier 4 17 Running 4 28.925 10 18.818 16 47.743 16 44.579 51.865
Aric Almirola 8 26 Running 1 29.580 25 18.485 15 48.065 17 48.065 48.065
Joey Logano 33 9 Running 3 29.252 19 18.852 17 48.104 18 46.096 50.819
Ty Gibbs 2 25 Running 2 28.251 5 19.871 21 48.121 19 46.584 49.658
Connor Zilisch 1 1 Running 2 29.207 17 19.764 19 48.971 20 47.499 50.442
Josh Williams 38 32 Accident 1 29.508 23 19.783 20 49.291 21 49.291 49.291
Jeb Burton 28 31 Oil Leak 1 28.865 8 20.818 25 49.683 22 49.683 49.683
Mike Skeen 25 30 Accident 2 29.518 24 21.054 28 50.572 23 50.334 50.809
Austin Green 27 11 Running 2 30.180 27 20.537 22 50.716 24 50.176 51.256
Kyle Sieg 36 37 Axle 2 30.209 28 20.902 26 51.111 25 49.317 52.904
Ross Chastain 21 6 Running 3 30.491 29 20.774 24 51.265 26 48.244 56.854
Ed Jones 37 24 Running 2 30.781 34 20.719 23 51.499 27 51.005 51.993
RC Enerson 34 27 Running 3 30.653 32 21.019 27 51.672 28 41.188 57.461
Sammy Smith 17 19 Running 3 30.571 30 21.570 29 52.140 29 44.307 57.846
Parker Retzlaff 23 14 Running 3 29.486 22 23.077 30 52.563 30 46.655 57.440
Anthony Alfredo 24 34 Accident 3 29.072 12 23.566 32 52.638 31 47.805 58.411
Josh Bilicki 26 10 Running 3 29.385 21 23.275 31 52.660 32 50.056 54.410
Leland Honeyman Jr 32 16 Running 2 30.592 31 23.756 34 54.348 33 53.433 55.263
Ryan Ellis 35 15 Running 3 31.814 35 23.733 33 55.547 34 49.651 64.412
Thomas Annunziata 30 29 Running 1 30.715 33 26.626 35 57.341 35 57.341 57.341

Pit Stop Detailed Report

Each 2- and 4-wheel pit stop during the race.

Mission 200 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International Pit Stop Detail
DRIVER LDR LAP DRV LAP DRV TIME CREW TIME TOT TIME TYPE
AJ Allmendinger 17 16 28.549 17.784 46.333 4-wheel change
AJ Allmendinger 37 36 28.931 17.915 46.846 4-wheel change
AJ Allmendinger 47 46 29.637 18.650 48.287 4-wheel change
Aric Almirola 21 21 29.580 18.485 48.065 4-wheel change
Joey Logano 36 35 29.045 17.051 46.096 4-wheel change
Joey Logano 56 55 29.345 18.051 47.396 4-wheel change
Joey Logano 21 21 29.365 21.454 50.819 4-wheel change
Justin Allgaier 21 21 28.331 16.248 44.579 4-wheel change
Justin Allgaier 41 41 28.415 18.751 47.166 4-wheel change
Justin Allgaier 48 46 29.710 17.650 47.360 4-wheel change
Justin Allgaier 78 77 29.243 22.622 51.865 4-wheel change
Parker Kligerman 65 64 28.685 15.682 44.367 4-wheel change
Parker Kligerman 41 41 29.127 16.882 46.009 4-wheel change
Jeb Burton 41 41 28.865 20.818 49.683 4-wheel change
Ryan Ellis 78 77 29.131 20.520 49.651 4-wheel change
Ryan Ellis 41 41 30.591 21.986 52.577 4-wheel change
Ryan Ellis 22 21 35.720 28.692 64.412 4-wheel change
Ryan Sieg 76 75 29.650 8.543 38.193 Left-sides only
Ryan Sieg 21 21 29.479 18.919 48.398 4-wheel change
Ryan Sieg 41 41 29.784 20.270 50.054 4-wheel change
Ross Chastain 54 53 30.127 18.117 48.244 4-wheel change
Ross Chastain 41 41 30.414 18.282 48.696 4-wheel change
Ross Chastain 21 21 30.931 25.923 56.854 4-wheel change
William Byron 66 65 28.977 15.749 44.726 4-wheel change
William Byron 52 52 28.875 16.883 45.758 4-wheel change
William Byron 17 16 29.835 17.053 46.888 4-wheel change
Brennan Poole 56 55 28.585 9.877 38.462 Left-sides only
Brennan Poole 41 41 28.922 18.984 47.906 4-wheel change
Brennan Poole 21 21 29.787 21.287 51.074 4-wheel change
Cole Custer 77 77 28.182 15.382 43.564 4-wheel change
Cole Custer 53 53 28.317 15.982 44.299 4-wheel change
Cole Custer 21 21 28.230 16.615 44.845 4-wheel change
Josh Bilicki 47 46 29.179 20.877 50.056 4-wheel change
Josh Bilicki 77 77 28.755 24.758 53.513 4-wheel change
Josh Bilicki 37 36 30.220 24.190 54.410 4-wheel change
Austin Hill 77 77 28.718 14.514 43.232 4-wheel change
Austin Hill 46 46 28.789 15.183 43.972 4-wheel change
Austin Hill 17 16 29.709 18.350 48.059 4-wheel change
Brandon Jones 84 83 7.394 15.000 22.394 4-wheel change
Brandon Jones 37 36 28.816 17.747 46.563 4-wheel change
Brandon Jones 17 16 28.563 18.686 47.249 4-wheel change
Jeremy Clements 41 41 28.044 18.651 46.695 4-wheel change
Jeremy Clements 21 21 27.943 20.686 48.629 4-wheel change
Josh Williams 41 41 29.508 19.783 49.291 4-wheel change
Riley Herbst 64 63 28.544 15.482 44.026 4-wheel change
Riley Herbst 41 41 29.311 17.583 46.894 4-wheel change
Riley Herbst 21 21 29.725 17.383 47.108 4-wheel change
Anthony Alfredo 78 77 28.686 19.119 47.805 4-wheel change
Anthony Alfredo 21 21 28.743 22.955 51.698 4-wheel change
Anthony Alfredo 42 41 29.786 28.625 58.411 4-wheel change
RC Enerson 64 63 29.778 11.410 41.188 Left-sides only
RC Enerson 22 21 31.279 25.088 56.367 4-wheel change
RC Enerson 41 41 30.903 26.558 57.461 4-wheel change
Sheldon Creed 37 36 28.050 16.146 44.196 4-wheel change
Sheldon Creed 21 21 28.002 17.650 45.652 4-wheel change
Ty Gibbs 17 16 28.563 18.021 46.584 4-wheel change
Ty Gibbs 47 47 27.938 21.720 49.658 4-wheel change
Kyle Sieg 42 41 30.434 18.883 49.317 4-wheel change
Kyle Sieg 22 21 29.983 22.921 52.904 4-wheel change
Sam Mayer 17 16 28.762 16.452 45.214 4-wheel change
Sam Mayer 47 47 28.841 16.884 45.725 4-wheel change
Mike Skeen 54 53 29.714 20.620 50.334 4-wheel change
Mike Skeen 21 21 29.322 21.487 50.809 4-wheel change
Chandler Smith 55 54 28.479 8.039 36.518 Left-sides only
Chandler Smith 37 36 28.465 16.480 44.945 4-wheel change
Chandler Smith 22 21 29.420 18.417 47.837 4-wheel change
Parker Retzlaff 62 61 28.571 18.084 46.655 4-wheel change
Parker Retzlaff 21 21 30.340 23.255 53.595 4-wheel change
Parker Retzlaff 41 41 29.548 27.892 57.440 4-wheel change
Sammy Smith 68 67 28.291 16.016 44.307 4-wheel change
Sammy Smith 48 47 32.735 21.533 54.268 4-wheel change
Sammy Smith 42 41 30.686 27.160 57.846 4-wheel change
Leland Honeyman Jr 42 41 30.243 23.190 53.433 4-wheel change
Leland Honeyman Jr 79 77 30.941 24.322 55.263 4-wheel change
Ed Jones 41 41 30.821 20.184 51.005 4-wheel change
Ed Jones 21 21 30.740 21.253 51.993 4-wheel change
Jesse Love 77 77 29.042 15.782 44.824 4-wheel change
Jesse Love 41 41 28.632 19.650 48.282 4-wheel change
Jesse Love 21 21 30.283 19.746 50.029 4-wheel change
Shane van Gisbergen 66 66 28.543 16.780 45.323 4-wheel change
Shane van Gisbergen 37 36 29.124 17.981 47.105 4-wheel change
Shane van Gisbergen 17 16 29.870 18.360 48.230 4-wheel change
Connor Zilisch 47 47 28.882 18.617 47.499 4-wheel change
Connor Zilisch 21 21 29.531 20.911 50.442 4-wheel change
Austin Green 54 53 30.590 19.586 50.176 4-wheel change
Austin Green 17 16 29.769 21.487 51.256 4-wheel change
Thomas Annunziata 71 65 30.715 26.626 57.341 4-wheel change