Connor Zilisch suffered a broken collarbone after a scary fall while celebrating his NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Watkins Glen on Saturday.
Zilisch was in victory lane when he climbed to the top of his car to celebrate like winners traditionally do. As he did, he slipped and tumbled headfirst into the concrete below. He was immediately tended to by medical personnel and transported away from victory lane on a gurney.
After he was taken to a local hospital, Zilisch tweeted Saturday night that he had broken a collarbone and that CT scans on his head were clear.
His dad Jim had a sense of humor after the fall too.
Zilisch, 19, is one of NASCAR’s top prospects and an exceptional road course racer. Saturday’s win at the Glen was his sixth Xfinity Series victory of the season and he’s currently atop the points standings. However, he’s likely to miss multiple races because of the injury. He drives for JR Motorsports, the team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, in NASCAR’s No. 2 series.
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It’s not the first injury that Zilisch has suffered this season, either. While racing for the win at Talladega in the spring, Zilisch’s car went sliding and hit head-first into the inside wall on the backstretch. He suffered a lower back injury in the wreck and missed a race.
Zilisch was also scheduled to start Sunday’s Cup Series race for Trackhouse Racing. His No. 87 car has been withdrawn from the race as a result of his fall. Trackhouse is widely expected to promote Zilisch to the Cup Series full-time in 2026 as Daniel Suarez is leaving the team at the end of the season.
