5 rising drivers of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity and Truck season as Easter week kicks off
NASCAR has entered Easter Week and prepares for a highly anticipated return to Rockingham Speedway after the 2025 season has already given fans a glimpse of the sport's next generation. Some rising drivers are making headlines in Xfinity and Trucks this season.
Easter week has always served as a soft pivot in NASCAR's spring slate, but this year's edition holds added significance. Rockingham's reintroduction into national competition following its last Busch Series appearance in February 2004 has brought a nostalgic buzz. But what makes this early stretch of the season feel like a changing of the guard?
Here are five rising stars from the Xfinity and Truck Series who have stolen the spotlight early in 2025:
#5 Layne Riggs – No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford (Truck Series)
Layne Riggs has quietly become one of the most promising names in the Truck Series garage in his second full-time season driving the #34 Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports. The 2022 Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion has shown massive growth after an underwhelming 2024 season saw him finish 11th with 595 points.
Riggs has three top-ten finishes in the six races so far, with his best finish being a runner-up at Homestead, only behind Kyle Larson. He currently stands sixth in the standings with 186 points and has already established himself as a playoff threat.
#4 Christian Eckes – No. 16 Kaulig Racing (Xfinity Series)
A 2024 NASCAR Truck Series standout, Christian Eckes, is finally getting his Xfinity Series shot with Kaulig Racing, and he's wasting no time making his mark. Driving the #16 Chevrolet SS, the 24-year-old rookie has four top-ten finishes in nine starts so far. While he is still adapting to the longer Xfinity schedule, Eckes has already garnered 204 points and could be a surprise contender by fall.
#3 Jesse Love - No. 2 Richard Childress Racing (Xfinity Series)
The 2023 ARCA Menards Series champion and 2024 Xfinity breakout is no longer a well-kept secret. He finished eighth last season and picked up right where he left off by winning the 2025 season opener at Daytona.
Four top-ten finishes later, Love already looks like a championship contender for the Richard Childress Racing #2 team. The 20-year-old currently has 286 points and stands third in the standings in his second full-time season.
#2 Carson Kvapil – No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (Xfinity Series)
The son of 2003 NASCAR Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil, Carson Kvapil, has burst onto the Xfinity scene in 2025. In his rookie year, he's already posted top-five finishes at Daytona, Bristol, and Darlington, showing composure well beyond his years. His strong synergy with JR Motorsports and technical feedback has impressed the garage. Kvapil is proving to be more than just a legacy driver and is quickly becoming a real threat on all types of tracks.
#1 Connor Zilisch – No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (NASCAR Xfinity Series)
Few rookies have hit the ground running like Connor Zilisch this season. The former road racing phenom earned his first Xfinity win at Circuit of The Americas and grabbed pole positions at Martinsville and Austin. Zilisch's road course expertise and rapid oval adaptation have made him a versatile asset for JR Motorsports.
The 18-year-old American also ran in the NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA for Trackhouse Racing last month. With his ability to qualify well and avoid rookie mistakes, he's already being talked about as one of the most complete young drivers in NASCAR.