Sports
Connor Zilisch reveals nasty injury post-NASCAR race
NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie points leader Connor Zilisch was taken to hospital with a broken collarbone on Saturday after falling from his car in Victory Lane, moments after winning the Mission 200 at Watkins Glen International.
The injury will keep the 19-year-old out of Sunday’s Cup Series race, Go Bowling at The Glen. Trackhouse Racing later announced it had withdrawn Zilisch’s No. 87 Chevrolet, which had qualified 25th, and wished him a speedy recovery.
Zilisch had dominated the Xfinity event, leading 60 of 82 laps to claim his sixth win of the season and overtake JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier in the standings.
His celebrations were cut short when he slipped while climbing from his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, falling to the ground.
Trackside medics immobilised the driver before moving him to the infield care centre. NASCAR confirmed he was awake and alert, but would undergo further evaluation at a local hospital.
JR Motorsports later said he had been released.
In a social media post that evening, Zilisch confirmed the injury and thanked safety crews for their swift response. Sunday’s Cup race would have been his fourth start at the top level, and at the same track where he took his first Xfinity win last September.
The teenager, who also missed a race earlier this year due to a back injury from a Talladega crash in April, continues to lead the Xfinity Series in both wins and points in his debut season.
Eventful race
Saturday’s 2.45-mile road course contest featured a record 16-car crash and intense competition at the front.
Starting from the front row, Zilisch battled road-course specialist Shane van Gisbergen for much of the afternoon before contact between the pair with 16 laps to go handed the rookie the lead.
Van Gisbergen said afterwards he did not blame Zilisch for the incident.
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Austin Hill briefly took the lead after clipping Zilisch’s car, but a debris caution bunched up the field.
Eight laps later, Zilisch reclaimed first place before a major multi-car collision involving Hill, Michael McDowell and 14 others triggered a lengthy red flag. McDowell escaped without injury.
On the restart, Zilisch pulled away to win by 2.326 seconds over Sam Mayer, with JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith third.
Hill finished fourth, followed by Carson Kvapil, Allgaier, Austin Green, Christian Eckes, Brandon Jones and Harrison Burton.
With three races remaining before the playoffs, Zilisch leads Allgaier by seven points, while Burton holds the final transfer spot, 30 points ahead of Jeb Burton and 38 clear of Ryan Sieg.
The Xfinity Series resumes on Aug 22 with the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway.
