General
Connor Zilisch won the NASCAR Xfinity race at Watkins Glen, scoring his sixth triumph of the 2025 Xfinity season. In the last eight races, he had managed to win five. Following his victory on Saturday (August 9, 2025), a shocking scene unfolded after Zilisch climbed from the car to celebrate his win and fell. Zilisch was awake and alert while being rushed to a local hospital, according to FOX Sports. There was no immediate word on the extent of any injuries sustained by him.
“Connor is conscious and back to himself and in the infield care center. Off to the hospital for further evaluation, but is not in any danger,” his father, Jim, posted on the social media platform Facebook. The 19-year-old Zilisch leads the Xfinity Series standings, driving for JR Motorsports while on loan from Trackhouse Racing with a planned move to Cup (not yet announced) in 2026. He is scheduled to start 25th in the Cup race Sunday at Watkins Glen in a fourth Trackhouse Racing car.
Zilisch, 19, tops the Xfinity Series standings driving for JR Motorsports while on loan from Trackhouse Racing, with a planned (not yet announced) jump to the Cup in 2026. He’s set to start 25th in Sunday’s Cup race at Watkins Glen, driving a fourth Trackhouse Racing entry.
The incident took place after Zilisch secured a victory in his sixth race of the season when he fell awkwardly after putting one foot on the driver’s window sill and another on the roof in getting out of his car to celebrate in victory lane.
After Zilisch claimed his sixth win of the season, he exited his car to celebrate in victory lane and awkwardly fell, placing one foot on the driver’s window sill and the other on the roof as he climbed out. According to NBC Sports, Zilisch was put in a neck brace and sat up in the ambulance. Zilisch, ranked No. 1 on FOX Sports’ recent list of Cup prospects, had missed a race earlier this year with a back injury after a hard crash at Talladega.