Connor Zilisch’s victory celebrations at Watkins Glen took an alarming turn on Saturday when the 19-year-old NASCAR driver suffered a frightening fall from the roof of his car, leaving him with a broken collarbone.
The young star had just clinched the Xfinity Series race, dominating by leading 60 of the 82 laps in his No 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.
But as he climbed out to celebrate, Zilisch attempted to stand on the car’s roof, lost his balance, and took a heavy tumble to the ground.
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His left foot became caught in the window frame during the climb, sending him head-first to the asphalt.
Connor Zilisch’s victory celebrations at Watkins Glen took an alarming turn on Saturday when the 19-year-old NASCAR driver suffered a frightening fall from the roof of his car, leaving him with a broken collarbone
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The impact left Zilisch briefly motionless, prompting immediate concern from fans and fellow drivers.
NASCAR’s medical team rushed to the scene, placing him on a stretcher and transporting him to the trackside care center before sending him to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.
By Saturday evening, NASCAR confirmed the North Carolina native was awake, alert, and in stable condition.
CT scans on his head came back clear, though the teenager did sustain a broken collarbone. He was discharged from the hospital later that night.
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Zilisch took to social media to reassure supporters and express his gratitude to the medical teams.
“Thank you everybody for reaching out today," he said.
"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.”
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What happened to Connor in victory lane. He's been taken to the infield care center at this time.#NASCAR https://t.co/cJLBWk4O1Y pic.twitter.com/LAZ0j2VTjY
— Speedway Digest (@speedwaydigest) August 9, 2025
The incident has had immediate consequences for his weekend racing plans.
Trackhouse Racing, who had entered Zilisch in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Watkins Glen in the No 87 Red Bull Chevrolet, confirmed they would be withdrawing the car.
In a statement, the team said: “Trackhouse Racing has elected to withdraw the No 87 Red Bull Chevrolet from tomorrow's NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International.
"We wish Connor a speedy recovery.”
The fall overshadowed what had been a near-perfect race for Zilisch.
The teenager had shown exceptional composure and pace, fending off challenges to control the majority of the laps and secure the win.
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NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch has revealed he broke his collarbone following his nasty fall on Saturday
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His Watkins Glen triumph marked another step forward in a promising career that has already drawn attention from teams and sponsors across the motorsport world.
While the injury will force him to the sidelines temporarily, Zilisch’s upbeat message and clean medical scans will be a relief to fans who witnessed the dramatic accident.
His immediate future behind the wheel remains uncertain, but given his performance before the incident, there’s no doubt the 19-year-old will be eager to return as soon as possible.