What should have been one of the happiest moments of Connor Zilisch’s racing career quickly took a frightening turn on Saturday, August 9, at Watkins Glen International in New York.
The 19-year-old NASCAR Xfinity Series rising star had just secured his sixth win of the season at the Mission 200. The crowd roared as Zilisch, full of adrenaline and pure joy, climbed onto the roof of his No. 88 Chevrolet to celebrate. But in a split second, the celebration went from triumphant to terrifying.
According to ESPN, Zilisch’s left foot got caught in the driver’s window as he climbed up, causing him to lose his balance. With a canned drink in one hand and his arms raised in victory, he slipped and fell hard to the ground — landing motionless in Victory Lane.
Footage aired by CW Sports captured the shocking moment, showing Zilisch standing tall one second and tumbling the next. NASCAR quickly confirmed he was awake and alert before transporting him to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Later, Zilisch took to X (formerly Twitter) to update fans.
“Thank you everybody for reaching out today,” he wrote. “I’m out of the hospital and getting better already. Thankfully, CT scans for my head are clear, I just have a broken collarbone. Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn’t any worse. ❤️”
The young driver’s performance earlier that day had been nothing short of dramatic. After being bumped from first to fifth during a restart, Zilisch fought his way back to the front, reclaiming the lead in the final four laps — a testament to his grit and racing skill.
“He did such a great job of getting back through the field and getting the lead,” crew chief Mardy Lindley told ESPN after the race. “Praying for Connor right now that he’s OK. I think he’s going to be fine.”
Unfortunately, the injury means Zilisch will miss the Cup race at Watkins Glen the following day, August 10. He had been scheduled to make his fourth Cup start of the season for Trackhouse Racing as part of a tripleheader weekend.
Though his celebration didn’t go as planned, Zilisch’s determination — both on the track and in recovery — has fans rallying behind him. One thing’s for sure: this young NASCAR star’s season has been nothing short of unforgettable.
