Connor Zilisch: Broken Collarbone After Fall in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen

Liputan6.com, Jakarta NASCAR young driver sensation Connor Zilisch was sidelined after suffering a serious injury.

The unexpected incident occurred on Saturday, August 9, 2025, in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International, moments after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200.

His sixth win of the season came at a cost of a broken collarbone.

Zilisch, just 19 years old, suffered an awkward fall while trying to exit his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

He lost his balance and landed hard on his neck, requiring immediate medical attention.

The incident came as a surprise to many considering Zilisch had just put on a dominant performance on the track.

Although a CT scan of his head came back clear, the broken collarbone forced Zilisch to miss the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen race.

BREAKING: 🚨 NASCAR Driver Connor Zilisch FALLS ON HIS NECK while getting out of his car in victory lane. Zillich DID NOT get up and was taken by ambulance to the infield care center. pic.twitter.com/vfKn81OsSJ

— E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) August 9, 2025

The incident began when Connor Zilisch, in the euphoria of his victory at Watkins Glen, attempted to exit his race car.

He placed one foot on the driver's window sill and the other on the roof, a common way for drivers to greet fans.

However, he lost his footing and slipped, falling hard to the ground.

Zilisch did not immediately recover from the fall and showed signs of pain.

Trackside medical personnel acted quickly, placing the driver on the backboard and transporting him to an ambulance for further evaluation at the track's treatment center.

The CW broadcast reported that Zilisch was conscious and able to communicate with safety crews.

NASCAR Communications officials later confirmed that Zilisch was conscious and alert, but was still transported to a local hospital for a thorough examination.

Later that evening, JR Motorsports announced that Zilisch had been released from the hospital.

Zilisch himself confirmed his injury on social media, expressing gratitude that a CT scan of his head was clear and that he only suffered a broken collarbone.

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. Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn’t any worse.❤️

— Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) August 10, 2025

Connor Zilisch's broken collarbone has had an immediate impact on his racing schedule.

The injury automatically forced him to miss Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race, Go Bowling at The Glen, which was supposed to be an opportunity for him to showcase his skills at the highest level.

Trackhouse Racing, the team that serves Zilisch as a development driver, immediately announced the withdrawal of Zilisch's No. 87 Chevrolet from the race.

As of now, there has been no official announcement regarding a specific timeframe for Connor Zilisch's return to racing.

The incident at Watkins Glen wasn't Connor Zilisch's first injury in 2025.

He had previously missed a race due to a lower back injury.

The injury occurred in April in a final-lap crash at Talladega Superspeedway.

The back injury forced him to miss the Xfinity Series event at Texas Motor Speedway, where Kyle Larson even replaced him and won the race.

Connor Jackson Zilisch, born July 22, 2006, is an American professional racing driver from Charlotte, North Carolina.

At the young age of 19 as of August 2025, he has already demonstrated exceptional talent and become one of the most promising prospects in the racing world.

Zilisch has been a development driver for Trackhouse Racing since 2024 and drives the No. 88 Chevrolet full-time for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

He also competes in various other racing series such as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, CARS Tour, Trans-Am Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship, and Global MX-5 Cup.

His accomplishments include winning the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in the LMP2 class in 2024, as well as leading the Xfinity Series in wins and points in his rookie year.