Connor Zilisch will not race this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway due to lower back injuries sustained at Talladega in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday.
The full-time driver of the JR Motorsports No. 88 will be replaced by Cup Series regular Kyle Larson on Friday and Saturday.
“Thank you, Kyle Larson, for stepping up for me this weekend and everyone who has helped me through this process,” Zilisch wrote on social media. “(I’m) doing everything I can to be back as soon as possible.”
The injuries are the result of a last lap crash on Saturday at Talladega when Zilisch spun off the nose of Jesse Love, sending him careening towards the backstretch SAFER Barrier. He hit front-facing first, his rear tires lifting off the ground, and the SAFER flexed as a result.
Zilisch was released from infield care after the crash and said he was sore but the injuries proved to be enough to miss time in the seat. He will be eligible for a playoff waiver, which will make him eligible for the championship, as soon as JR Motorsports makes that request of NASCAR.
In the meantime, Larson has one Xfinity Series victory at Texas, which came back in 2016.
