Parting ways with the likes of Brandon Jones and Sam Mayer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports took a huge gamble in signing two rookie drivers – Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil. Partial runs and one-off features are cool, but a full-time ride is a big undertaking, which is why a lot of people were paying close attention to JRM’s start to the season. And let’s just say the team hasn’t let their competitors breathe in the first nine races of the season.

All JRM drivers are inside the top 10 in the points standings, Justin Allgaier is leading the charge, and rookie Zilisch has also contributed to the winning run. The 18-year-old won at COTA, and seeing his team start the 2025 season on a high, even took Dale Jr. by surprise. “Normally, having speed like this isn’t a new thing for us… but usually we don’t start the year with it. This year, we’ve started off strong and fast pretty much everywhere.”

But now that the Xfinity Series is headed to Rockingham Speedway for the first time since 2004. Born in 2006, Dale Jr.’s teenage sensation isn’t familiar with the historical significance of the track, yet is eager to conquer the 0.94-mile D-shaped oval this weekend. The only memory Zilisch has about visiting the Rockingham is, “I came to a rock festival here in 2019 across the street, and I didn’t think anything of this place. It just looked like an old, worn-down racetrack.”

This racetrack, which he dismissed so easily once, has the memories etched into its very being of thunder from the wheels of legends. Rockingham Speedway, nicknamed “The Rock,” opened its doors in 1965. For decades, it was a staple on the NASCAR calendar, a gritty, tire-eating oval that tested the patience and precision of the best. Here was where Richard Petty notched a record number of wins (11), and also the place where Steve Park paid a heartfelt tribute to Dale Earnhardt after his death at the 2001 Daytona 500.

But now, with the NASCAR future hoping to intersperse the past, the mood for Rockingham seems to re-emerge. ARCA tests and events have recently been held there, and it feels like a resurrection. The veterans remember Rockingham as a grueling challenge, yet Zilisch sees it with modern eyes. “You know, all that rubber getting laid down… that’s promising,” he said. “We’re gonna be trying to stay out as much as possible, flipping stages, whatever we can do to get track position.” The reason why Zilisch isn’t worried about the tire wear is that the racetrack underwent a major repave a year ago, which cost them $9 million. So, it seems like he’s got a plan in his mind to tackle the challenges that come his way at the Rock.

Well, it is indeed tough to predict which drivers will be front-runners or the clear favorite to win at Rockingham. This is why the onus will be on the qualifying rounds and the track position, as it will help the teams have some wiggle room to adjust their plans for the day.

Connor Zilisch wins the pole for the Xfinity Series race at Rockingham

Although Zilisch is still a rookie and trying to navigate his way around the ovals, he’s found himself in a prime position to win the North Carolina Education Lottery 250. Notching a lap time of 22.630 seconds, the driver of the No. 88 JRM Chevy bagged the pole position for the main event at Rockingham Speedway.

However, this joy didn’t last long, as after completing the lap, Zilisch’s car suffered a flat tire, which now forced him to start the race from the rear of the field. The #88 team will have to change the right rear tire on the car before the driver can start the race. “(The right-rear tire) went flat right off of four. Frustrating. You qualify in the pole and you have to start at the back.” Zilisch told CW Sports.

Parker Retzlaff, who missed out on the pole by one-thousandth of a second, will now lead the field alongside Nick Sanchez on the front row. Kasey Kahne and William Sawalich rounded out the top five places after the qualifying rounds. The likes of Brandon Jones, Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, Christian Eckes and Austin Hill completed top 10 positions. Unfortunately, Catherine Legge, who had announced a comeback after the Phoenix controversy, couldn’t make the cut through qualifying and won’t feature in the race.