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.
Photo courtesy of KS Images
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 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