NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch talks after breaking collarbone
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — A day after Connor Zilisch injured his collarbone in a scary victory lane fall, he returned to Watkins Glen for the NASCAR Cup Series race.
Zilisch spoke to NBC’s Marty Snider about the fall and what’s next.
“I’m very grateful to be walking today and to be, you know, all right. Thank you to all the medics who took care of me, everybody who reached out and um, you know, wished me well. I do appreciate it a lot,” Zilisch said.
Zilisch won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race in commanding fashion Saturday. Then, in victory lane, his leg caught on the window, causing him to fall on his shoulder and his head.
Zilisch said the CT scans on his head came back clear. He gave a more detailed explanation Sunday of what happened.
“I was climbing out of the car and, obviously, the window net was on the door and as soon as they started spraying water, my foot slipped,” Zilisch said. “The last thing I remember was being halfway down and falling so… Glad it wasn’t any worse and that the collarbone is the extent of the injuries.”
While Connor Zilisch couldn’t race Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, he didn’t rule out the next NASCAR Xfinity Series race. That is set for Aug. 22 at Daytona. He took some inspiration from his teammate, Shane van Gisbergen, with his health in mind.
“We’re still working out with all the doctors figure out what’s going to be the next steps. But I’ve got a little motivation from Shane [van Gisbergen], my teammate. He had a plate put in and raced the weekend after, so I don’t know if I’ll be back [that quick] but hopefully my young, young bones will heal fast and I’ll be able to get back in it as soon as possible,” Zilisch said.
Zilisch leads the Xfinity regular season points standings with three races until the playoffs. If he can maintain that position, he will earn 15 bonus points for the playoffs. He has the option to start the race and hand the car over to a substitute driver, that way he can earn points and credit for a win if the substitute driver can get the job done.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com
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