Connor Zilisch Injured After Fall While Celebrating Victory

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — NASCAR rookie Connor Zilisch, 19, has been ruled out of the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International after suffering a broken collarbone during a post-race celebration on Saturday.

Zilisch had just won the Mission 200 Xfinity Series race, marking his sixth victory of the season. While celebrating, he climbed onto the roof of his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Tragically, he lost his balance and fell head-first to the ground.

The young driver was quickly attended to and taken off the track on a backboard. He was later transported via ambulance to a local hospital. Fortunately, he posted on social media later that he did not suffer a head injury, stating, “CT scans for my head are clear, I just have a broken collarbone.”

Trackhouse Racing subsequently announced that Zilisch’s No. 87 Chevrolet would be withdrawn from the Cup race scheduled for Sunday. The team indicated Zilisch was “awake and alert” during medical attention.

In a hectic weekend at Watkins Glen, Zilisch also finished eighth in a Truck Series event on Friday and qualified 25th for the Cup race. He is expected to make a full-time move to the Cup Series in 2026.

Zilisch has shown impressive performance in his rookie Xfinity season, bouncing back successfully after previously sustaining a back injury at Talladega Superspeedway. Totaling 11 consecutive top-five finishes, he has solidified his place as a future star in NASCAR.

His next scheduled appearance in the Xfinity Series is set for August 22 at Daytona International Speedway.