Connor Zilisch hasn't finished a NASCAR Xfinity Series race outside the top five since late April after starting the year with just one top five finish in the first 11 races. He is the favorite to win the championship and enters the round of 8 all but locked into the Championship 4 because of the playoff points he's racked up.
So you can't blame him for making the decision to step into a Truck Series playoff race as well.
Zilisch, who never competed full-time in the Truck Series before landing his JR Motorsports Xfinity Series ride, made his first start of the season at Watkins Glen International and finished in eighth place for Niece Motorsports after they cut ties with Kaden Honeycutt.
He returned to the series for this past weekend's race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval with Spire Motorsports.
Behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet, Zilisch bettered his eighth place finish at Watkins Glen with a fifth place effort at the Roval. He became the eighth different driver to drive the No. 7 truck through 22 races this season, but he likely won't return to the series again before the end of the 25-race campaign.
Connor Zilisch replacement confirmed
Though the Truck Series has off this weekend while the Xfinity Series and Cup Series are scheduled to be in action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a ninth different driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet has been confirmed for next weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway.
J.J. Yeley most recently attempted (but failed) to qualify for a Truck Series race for CMI Motorsports at Nashville Superspeedway in 2021. His most recent start in the series came with Reaume Brothers Racing at Dover Motor Speedway in 2020.
He is set to change both of those statements at Talladega Superspeedway next weekend, and this opportunity with Spire Motorsports might well be the best opportunity he's ever had at the Truck level.
Yeley has made select Cup Series starts with NY Racing Team this season, just as he did last year, and he's also made one Xfinity Series start with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen.
Spire Motorsports also entered the year running the No. 07 Chevrolet full-time, splitting it between several drivers like they've done with the No. 7 truck.
Corey LaJoie had been planning to drive the No. 07 truck during the playoffs, but after the team cut ties with former full-time driver Andres Perez de Lara, they shifted LaJoie to his No. 77 Chevrolet and discontinued the No. 07 entry for the balance of the season. Rajah Caruth remains the full-time driver of the No. 71 truck and is still in championship contention.
The team have yet to confirm a driver for the No. 7 Chevrolet for the season's final two races at Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
The Love's RV Stop 225 is set to be broadcast live on Fox from Talladega Superspeedway beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday, October 17. If you have not yet had a chance to begin a free trial of FuboTV, do so now and don't miss any of the action!