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The 19-year-old driver fell off his car while celebrating his seventh total career win.
WATKINS GLEN, New York — Connor Zilisch, the 19-year-old JR Motorsports NASCAR Xfinity Series driver taking the motorsport by storm, confirmed he broke his collarbone after falling while celebrating his race win Saturday.
The incident happened shortly after the Mission 200 At The Glen in New York.
After the race, Zilisch climbed out the driver window of his car to stand on the door while being sprayed with liquid in celebration. He lost his footing and slipped, landing on the ground head first. It appeared in the video that his foot may have been caught in the window net hanging off the side of the door.
He didn’t immediately get up after the fall, but was seen on camera slightly moving.
“Thank you everybody for reaching out today. I’m out of the hospital and getting better already. Thankfully, CT scans for my head are clear, I just have a broken collarbone,” Zilisch wrote on social media. “Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn’t any worse.”
CBS Sports reported Zilisch required medical attention and was taken out of Victory Lane on a stretcher. An NBC sports reporter on scene said he left in an ambulance, but was sitting up and talking to medical professionals.
Sports Illustrated reported he was first evaluated in the infield care center, but was later taken to the hospital. NASCAR said he was “awake and alert” at the hospital.
A Fox Sports reporter says Zilisch’s father, Jim, said his son is “not in any danger.”
Zilisch drives the No. 88 Chevrolet full-time for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Saturday’s win marks his fourth in the last five races and his seventh total career win. CBS Sports calls him “perhaps NASCAR’s brightest young star.”
He was also set to run a limited Cup Series on Sunday after qualifying 25th, but no longer will due to his injury.
“Trackhouse Racing has elected to withdraw No. 87 Red Bull Chevrolet from tomorrow’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International,” the company wrote on social media. “We wish Connor a speedy recovery.”
