Connor Zilisch’s dream shattered! After 10 wins, the title slips away — heartbreak, pride, and a legend in the making.
Eric Estepp shared a critical verdict of NASCAR’s playoff format after Connor Zilisch’s loss at Phoenix Raceway. He called for an end to the single-race title decider and argued that the system simply ‘does not work’.
Heading into the weekend, all eyes were on Zilisch and Corey Heim, who were the leading contenders in their respective series with ten or more wins to their name. Kevin Harvick had warned of a ‘nuclear meltdown’ if either of the drivers failed to nab the title.
While Heim got off unscathed, Zilisch’s loss marks a stark reminder of the long-standing criticisms surrounding NASCAR’s playoffs. Jesse Love entered the finale with a single win under his belt, but is now the 2025 Xfinity Series champion.
Noting the same, Estepp shared an X post that read,
“Alright, that should officially mark the END of the 1-race finale. It just DOES NOT WORK especially when a driver has a dominant year. Connor Zilisch put together a tremendous, 10-win season…but neither he nor the No. 88 will be remembered as champions.”
Fans have also shared their outrage over Zilisch’s loss. Amid mounting scrutiny, reports suggest that NASCAR will probably do away with the single-race title decider. It’s either a three or four-round finale, or a full-season points system to determine a champion.
The new development comes after a drop in viewership, as most of the playoff races drew fewer eyeballs than last year. NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell has also hinted that change is on the way.
Connor Zilisch reacts to losing NASCAR championship
Connor Zilisch shared an emotional message during the post-race interview at Phoenix. The 19-year-old was visibly choked up while reflecting on the heartbreaking loss.
“I came into the weekend, and I told my entire team that we got to give it 100% this week. As long as we walk out of this place knowing we did that, I’d be proud of us. We did that today, and we fought all day long. Threw everything we had at it. Unfortunately, we just didn’t quite have what we needed. It doesn’t take away from anything we’ve done this year… I’m so proud of these guys, but I don’t know, I guess the lights were too bright,” he said via Motorsport.com.
Connor Zilisch further noted that the result would definitely ‘sting’. He’s now one of four drivers to win ten races in a season without taking home the championship. Notably, the young prodigy is also the record holder for 18 consecutive top-5s this season. He had to overcome two injuries to maintain the streak, while scoring three pairs of consecutive wins as well.
Zilisch’s most dominant win was at Gateway, where he had a 121-lap lead from pole.
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