Ross Chastain is currently the only NASCAR Cup Series driver taking full advantage of the rule allowing experienced Cup drivers to participate in up to five Xfinity Series races annually. Chastain completed all five of his scheduled Xfinity starts for 2025, culminating this past weekend at Iowa Speedway, where he achieved his best finish of the season in third place.
Throughout the season, Chastain drove the No. 9 Chevrolet, a fifth entry fielded by JR Motorsports, marking his first time competing with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team in the Xfinity Series. His other finishes included eighth at Circuit of the Americas, fourth at Darlington Raceway, and fifth at Nashville Superspeedway, though mechanical troubles at Dover Motor Speedway forced an early exit.
Shane van Gisbergen Steps into the No. 9 for Watkins Glen
With Chastain’s Xfinity schedule complete, JR Motorsports will have Shane van Gisbergen take over driving duties in the No. 9 Chevrolet for the upcoming race at Watkins Glen International. Van Gisbergen, a full-time Trackhouse Racing Cup Series driver, already has two starts in the No. 9 car this season. He won his debut in Chicago and finished second at Sonoma Raceway, narrowly behind JR Motorsports’ full-time driver Connor Zilisch.
Zilisch is widely regarded as a strong candidate to replace Daniel Suarez as a full-time Trackhouse Racing driver in 2026.
Limited Remaining Appearances for the No. 9 Car in 2025
JR Motorsports plans to run the No. 9 Chevrolet only one more time after Watkins Glen this year, during the October playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Connor Mosack is scheduled to drive in that event, as full-time Cup drivers are not eligible for playoff races in the Xfinity Series. This marks Mosack’s first appearance in the No. 9 car during the 2025 season.
Broadcast Details for the Watkins Glen Race
The Mission 200 at Watkins Glen International will be broadcast live by the CW Network on Saturday, August 9, beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET. NASCAR fans interested in watching can start a free trial of FuboTV to catch the race coverage.
