The 2025 Focused Health 250 was the 3rd stock car race of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 5th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, a road course. The race took the scheduled 65 laps to complete.
Connor Zilisch, driving for JR Motorsports, navigated through late-race adversity, and continued his road course dominance by winning the pole and leading a race-high 26 laps, earning his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, William Byron, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, and Sam Mayer, driving for Haas Factory Team, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Report
Background
Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a grade 1 FIA-specification motorsports facility located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Austin, Texas. It features a road racing circuit. The facility is home to the Formula One United States Grand Prix, and the Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas, a round of the FIM Road Racing World Championship. It previously hosted the Supercars Championship, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, and IndyCar Series.
On November 20, 2024, it was announced that the race would move to the layout.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMake00Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamFord1Carson Kvapil (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Parker RetzlaffAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet5Kris WrightOur MotorsportsChevrolet07Alex LabbéSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet8Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel Dye (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet11Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet14Carson Hocevar (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet16Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet17William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet18William Sawalich (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Riley Herbst (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota25Harrison BurtonAM RacingFord26Dean Thompson (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord31Blaine PerkinsJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet32Austin GreenJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Baltazar LeguizamónJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord41Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamFord42Anthony AlfredoYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Brad PerezAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Nick Sanchez (R)Big Machine RacingChevrolet50Preston PardusPardus RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53Sage KaramJoey Gase MotorsportsToyota54Taylor Gray (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota70Thomas AnnunziataCope Family RacingChevrolet71Ryan EllisDGM RacingChevrolet88Connor Zilisch (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet91Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet99Matt DiBenedettoViking MotorsportsChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Friday, February 28, at 4:00 PM CST, and lasted for 50 minutes. Connor Zilisch, driving for JR Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 1:37.839, and a speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed188Connor Zilisch (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1:37.83988.30822Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1:38.39287.812321Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1:38.63487.597Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, February 28, at 5:00 PM CST. Since Circuit of the Americas is a road course, the qualifying procedure used is a two group, one round system. Drivers will be separated into two groups, Group A and B. Both groups will be 20 minutes long, and each driver will have multiple laps to set a time. Whoever sets the fastest time between both groups will win the pole.
Under a 2021 rule change, the timing line in road course qualifying is "not" the start-finish line. Instead, the timing line for qualifying will be set at the exit of Istanbul 8. Connor Zilisch, driving for JR Motorsports, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 1:37.262, and a speed of .
Three drivers failed to qualify: Brad Perez, Parker Retzlaff, and Thomas Annunziata.
Qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed188Connor Zilisch (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1:37.26288.83229Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1:37.44688.664317William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1:38.23687.95147Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1:38.39087.81451Carson Kvapil (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1:38.48587.729624Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota1:38.54087.680754Taylor Gray (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1:38.56487.659841Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamFord1:38.60387.624919Riley Herbst (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1:38.61387.6151016Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1:38.74287.501112Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1:38.84187.4131221Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1:38.85287.4031320Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1:38.88787.3721400Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamFord1:39.00887.2661510Daniel Dye (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1:39.09587.189168Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet1:39.11587.1711742Anthony AlfredoYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet1:39.19687.1001831Blaine PerkinsJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1:39.24787.0561948Nick Sanchez (R)Big Machine RacingChevrolet1:39.24887.0552032Austin GreenJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1:39.31386.9982111Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet1:39.43186.8942299Matt DiBenedettoViking MotorsportsChevrolet1:39.43986.8872318William Sawalich (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1:39.49086.8432414Carson Hocevar (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1:39.57286.7712550Preston PardusPardus RacingChevrolet1:39.83486.5442691Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet1:39.99186.4082707Alex LabbéSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1:40.05886.3502853Sage KaramJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1:40.09386.3202927Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1:40.21486.2153026Dean Thompson (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota1:40.24486.1903125Harrison BurtonAM RacingFord1:40.36786.0843244Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1:40.43186.029Qualified by owner's points335Kris WrightOur MotorsportsChevrolet1:40.52785.9473471Ryan EllisDGM RacingChevrolet1:40.56385.9163551Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1:40.67785.8193628Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1:41.26985.3173735Baltazar LeguizamónJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1:42.09084.6313839Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord——Failed to qualify3945Brad PerezAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1:40.59985.886404Parker RetzlaffAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1:41.05785.4964170Thomas AnnunziataCope Family RacingChevrolet——Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts117William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet029Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0324Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota0441Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamFord757Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet6621Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet5716Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet488Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet3942Anthony AlfredoYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet21007Alex LabbéSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1
Stage 2 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts125Harrison BurtonAM RacingFord10210Daniel Dye (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet938Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet8427Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet7539Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord6644Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet5707Alex LabbéSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet4811Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet3953Sage KaramJoey Gase MotorsportsToyota21028Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1
Stage 3 Laps: 25 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1188Connor Zilisch (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet6526Running402317William Byron (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet653Running03841Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamFord650Running4141221Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet656Running3851016Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet650Running366112Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet656Running317754Taylor Gray (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota653Running30829Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet652Running092318William Sawalich (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota650Running28101831Blaine PerkinsJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet650Running2711168Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet650Running37121400Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamFord650Running2513919Riley Herbst (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota657Running0142707Alex LabbéSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet650Running28152111Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet650Running25163471Ryan EllisDGM RacingChevrolet650Running21171510Daniel Dye (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet650Running29183026Dean Thompson (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota650Running19193839Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord650Running24203244Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet650Running22211742Anthony AlfredoYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet650Running18222691Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet650Running152351Carson Kvapil (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet657Running15241948Nick Sanchez (R)Big Machine RacingChevrolet650Running13252927Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet650Running19262032Austin GreenJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet650Running11273628Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord650Running11283551Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet650Running92947Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet650Running14301320Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota650Running731624Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota650Running0322299Matt DiBenedettoViking MotorsportsChevrolet650Running533335Kris WrightOur MotorsportsChevrolet640Running4342853Sage KaramJoey Gase MotorsportsToyota580Transmission5353125Harrison BurtonAM RacingFord555Axle12362550Preston PardusPardus RacingChevrolet260Rear End1373735Baltazar LeguizamónJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet170Suspension1382414Carson Hocevar (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet30Accident0Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Austin Hill 122 1 2 Jesse Love 109 (–13) 1 3 Sheldon Creed 108 (–14) 4 4 Sam Mayer 94 (–28) 1 5 Justin Allgaier 90 (–32) 5 6 Sammy Smith 87 (–35) 2 7 Jeb Burton 85 (–37) 5 8 Taylor Gray 75 (–47) 11 9 Christian Eckes 74 (–48) 4 10 Harrison Burton 73 (–49) 2 11 Carson Kvapil 68 (–54) 5 12 William Sawalich 68 (–54)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 120 1 2 Ford 96 (–24) 1 3 Toyota 96 (–24) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References