21 hours ago
Brad Keselowski Laughs at Connor Zilisch's Hard Fall after Xfinity Victory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski laughed at Connor Zilisch's fall, which occurred when Zilisch was celebrating his victory at Watkins Glen International last weekend. The 19-year-old driver suffered from a broken collarbone and recently underwent surgery to expedite his recovery for a racing return.
The incident occurred when Zilisch had just climbed atop his car, only to slip and fall headfirst. The event made headlines over the past week due to its severity. However, Keselowski found humor in Zilisch's fall, stating that he experienced falls in the past. When asked ahead of the race at Richmond if he planned on climbing on top of his car if he won the race, the 2012 NASCAR Cup champion said:
"Probably not. I think I'll just grab my American flag and stand outside of it. But man, that was sure scary. I called Adam Alexander [NASCAR commentator] yesterday because now that we know Connor's okay, it is one of the funniest damn videos I've ever seen in my life. And we've all had our, you know, moments.
"The funniest part to me was Adam just saying, 'Oh my god, he fell.' And my wife and I, we've had a lot of fun with that. But, you do this sport long enough, you're bound to have a moment that you wish you could have back. And, I've got quite a few of them, and Connor got his first one."
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 Castrol Ford, walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 Castrol Ford, walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 15, 2025 in Mexico City, gave an update recently after undergoing surgery. Newsweek Sports reported his comments:
"Wanted to give everyone a quick update. Had surgery on my collarbone this morning to get a plate and screws to help with the healing process. Been a tough few days for me mentally, but all the love you guys have shown has certainly helped. Thank you."
Due to the injury, Zilisch was unable to race the next day in the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing. It remains to be seen if he can return for the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway next weekend. Addressing the topic of his racing return, Trackhouse's team owner Justin Marks said:
"I think it's a discussion that we all have to have. We haven't really talked about much, obviously, since yesterday, but in the little bit that we've discussed in some of the quiet moments over the last 24 hours, it's going to have to be a group decision.
"It's going to have to be sponsors, Chevrolet, the team, taking care of his development, taking care of him as a human and as an athlete, and then keeping his motivations high and making sure he knows he's got a group of people behind him that are supportive of him."
