SortaSports' Obligatory Last-Minute 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Predictions
Carson Kvapil - He's had some good runs at times and deserves to be here, but just hasn't shown anything special to advance to the second round.
Taylor Gray - Basically the same as Kvapil. Good speed, but there's just way better in this field.
Sheldon Creed - This one honestly stings, but Creed has just not looked like a title threat at any point this year. Even his trademark painful runner-up finishes are slowing down. It'd be cool to see him finally get that race trophy before the sun burns out, but especially compared to last year, I sincerely doubt he'll pull a Hemric and double dip on trophies in Phoenix when he finally does.
Nick Sanchez - I really wish I had more to say about the Round of 12 picks, but once again, Sanchez has been solid but just not good enough to come close to the title.
Harrison Burton - Harrison's run right after washing out of Cup to put a previously completely irrelevant team on the right track has been remarkable, but I just don't see that team having the speed to make it to the end, although I get the feeling they may have a chance to do something in the future once they're completely settled in.
Brandon Jones - With him finally coming back to solid performances after his teammate dumped him into two years of rare JRM hell, I wouldn't mind seeing a deep run by this guy, but the Round of 8 just feels like a firm ceiling, even with what a mosh pit my 4th Championship 4 slot is.
Sammy Smith - A solid season, but unless he finds a way to get through an ugly Martinsville finish without screwing himself out of it too, I think this is as far as he goes.
Sam Mayer - It's close, but I feel like he just won't get the breaks he needs to make it to the final dance.
Connor Zilisch - A no-brainer as Connor, at just age 19 (what the hell am I doing with my life then lol), is having one of the greatest seasons in series history and has been so flaming hot this summer that not even breaking his collarbone in one of the scariest off-track moments in years could slow him down.
Justin Allgaier - The defending champion who's gunning for his 8th consecutive final 4 berth, Allgaier is more experienced than anyone in knowing what it takes to make a run to the end in this series.
Austin Hill - This physically hurts considering how many times this dude has shown how little he belongs in a second-tier NASCAR stock car, let alone close to a championship, but even with his playoff points hole, he'll likely survive Round 1 and has owned the superspeedways. It'd be funny to see him either choke or in some way get his comeuppance, but I think that alone will lock him in at least this far.
Jesse Love - Somehow on the more likable end of RCR drivers across the board, he barely makes my final 4 due to how good he can also be at superspeedways. So even if he doesn't win Talladega, he should be able to point his way in off that.
And my pick for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion is...
Connor Zilisch! Like Corey Heim in the Trucks, some bs can happen in the playoffs to derail Connor's spectacular season (especially since his only Phoenix finishes in Xfinity are 4th last fall and 16th this spring), but with all his momentum, I think he'll put on the exclamation mark with a more than deserving crown in his lone Xfinity Series season.
