JR Motorsports Locks Out Front Row, Zilisch Leads Field To Green At Martinsville

Connor Zilisch hustled around the 0.5-mile paperclip oval with a time of 19.888. (Photo Credit: Sydney Redden | The Podium Finish)

RIDGEWAY, Va. — Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil, the rookie JR Motorsports duo have locked out the front row for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Marine Corps 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

Zilisch got around the shortest track on the NASCAR Xfinity Series calendar in his No. 88 Carolina Carports Chevrolet Camaro with a time of 19.888 (95.213 mph) while his teammate Kvapil ran a 19.914 (95.089 mph).

Austin Hill was the only other driver to break the 20-second mark, qualifying his No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing with a 19.989 (94.732 mph). Hill’s teammate, Jesse Love, who just announced that he will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in RCR’s No. 33 Cup Series ride, qualified fourth to the outside of Hill.

Harrison Burton put together a solid lap of 20.066 (94.369) to round out the top five in qualifying.

Justin Allgaier looks to go for a third consecutive race victory from the sixth starting spot after claiming back-to-back victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and last weekend’s Hard Rock Bet 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Brandon Jones qualified in seventh, the highest qualifying Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Corey Day, making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut and Hendrick Motorsports development driver will start eighth, Daniel Dye in ninth, with Sammy Smith capping off the top 10 in qualifying.

JR Motorsports put all four of their cars inside the top 10 in Friday afternoon’s qualification session.

Aric Almirola looks for his third consecutive Martinsville Speedway victory from the 15th starting spot. Almirola swept both the spring and fall races at the facility in 2024, leading a total of 298 laps during that span.

Patrick Staropoli, who is on double duty in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series on Friday, has successfully qualified for his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series start in Sam Hunt Racing’s No. 24 Toyota Supra, rolling off 33rd alongside Garrett Smithley.

Two drivers were unable to qualify for Saturday’s 250-lap race: Dawson Cram from Mike Harmon Racing and Tyler Tomassi, who was trying to be the third driver to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut for MBM Motorsports. Unfortunately, neither was able to qualify for the race based on their speed.

Connor Zilisch (pictured right) talking over the gameplan to tackle the tricky 0.5-mile oval during practice for the Marine Corps 250 at Martinsville Speedway. (Photo Credit: Sydney Redden | The Podium Finish)

“The last time I was here, I was in the truck and qualified 27th.” Said Zilisch in a post-qualifying interview with Kim Coon on the CW Network. 

“Completely went from one end of the spectrum to the other. I am really proud of this entire JR Motorsports team, we’ve had four fast cars at the track every week. So, hopefully, we can be good when the surface rubs up in the race tomorrow.

The 18-year-old NASCAR prospect from Charlotte, North Carolina is the highest of nine full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series rookies in the points standings as he sits 7th. Zilisch scored his second career Xfinity Series win at Circuit Of The Americas to kick off the month of March after suffering two consecutive 25th-place finishes at Daytona and Atlanta to begin the season.

Zilisch looks to score his first Xfinity Series oval win in the 250-lap, 200-mile race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday evening in the 44th annual Marine Corps 250.

The Marine Corps 250 at Martinsville Speedway will air live on Saturday, March 29 on the CW at 5:00 pm EST.

Marine Corps 250 Qualifying Results