Connor Zilisch Captures Back-to-Back O’Reilly Watkins Glen Wins

For the 13th time in his career and the second time this season, Connor Zilisch took the checkered flag in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The driver of the No. 1 stayed undefeated in NOAPS competition at Watkins Glen International and extended JR Motorsports’ road course winning streak to 11 races.

“That was driving as hard as I could for all 30 of those laps,” Zilisch said post-race. “I wasn’t gonna move Jesse in the last corner there, but he got in deep and I was able to get by. It’s so cool to come back and get my third win at Watkins Glen in a row.”

Saturday was not an easy win for Zilisch. His rival and best friend Jesse Love turned the race into a battle of strategy, choosing to stay out when Zilisch and the other front-runners pit.

Dueling Strategies

On Lap 64, when Love inherited the lead, it became a duel of the strategies: Love with the time advantage but needing to save fuel, and Zilisch having to run him down on fresher tires. With six to go, it looked like Zilisch was all but guaranteed a win, but clipped the grass and lost some of the ground he gained on Love.

Despite that, Zilisch went right back to gaining on Love. By the last corner, Zilisch was just behind. Love overdrove the corner, gave Zilisch the inside, and the driver of the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet slipped away.

“I didn’t execute when I needed to and I think the reason that I’m so quiet is that I’m just embarrassed,” Love said postrace. “As a driver, you can’t make those mistakes, and it was such a bad mistake it’s just embarrassing. I know that I’ll learn from this and be better because of it, but I let down a lot of people including myself. It’s probably a good idea for me to feel this pain right now.”

Due to qualifying being cancelled, Rajah Caruth started on pole. Brent Crews took the lead on Lap 4 and went on to win the stage, becoming the youngest NOAPS stage winner in history. Despite spins by Jeb Burton and Matt Wilson and engine issues for William Sawalich and Patrick Staropoli, the stage went caution-free.

Stage 2 was more chaotic. Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen started it on the front row, with Zilisch grabbing the lead before Jeremy Clements got stuck in the tire barriers on Lap 26 to bring out the first yellow for incident. Shane van Gisbergen grabbed the lead on the next restart, but the field bunched up again after a debris caution on Lap 34. The stage ended with a four-lap dash, with Zilisch besting Crews for the win.

The Final Stage

A DRAMATIC ENDING AT WATKINS GLEN@ConnorZilisch overtakes Jesse Love on the last turn for his third straight win at the track! pic.twitter.com/7XvQmq2EKq

— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) May 9, 2026

The pit cycle was eventful to open Stage 3. Crews was one of 12 drivers to stay out, allowing him to take the lead and keep it on the restart. Meanwhile, the driver of the No. 9 plummeted down the order due to damage from contact with Zilisch on pit road. The caution came out again on Lap 47 after an airborne ride through the grass by Sheldon Creed.

Crews once again took the lead on the restart before pitting on Lap 57, handing the lead to Zilisch before he came down the next lap handing it to van Gisbergen. Crews struggled on pit road with a 21 second pit stop, causing him to be passed by Zilisch.

On Lap 63 van Gisbergen pitted, followed by Caruth on Lap 64, giving Love the lead and paving the way for the battle between him and Zilisch. The defending NOAPS champion remains third in points, still looking for his first win of the season.

Written by: Kevin Modeszto