Latest news with #NASCARXfinitySeriesMission200
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Connor Zilisch Shares Surgery Update Following Scary Fall After Xfinity Series Win
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch posted an update on social media after undergoing surgery for his broken collarbone. The 19-year-old driver fell off his car while celebrating his race win at Watkins Glen International. Zilisch's fall made headlines during the recent race weekend, given the intensity with which he fell head first. While a head injury was ruled out, Zilisch's broken collarbone needed to be fixed soon for him to be race-ready for the Wawa 250 at the Daytona International Speedway on August 22. Newsweek Sports reported Zilisch's comments following his fall, where he admitted that he might need surgery for a faster recovery. He said: "I think it might be something that I might have to get surgery for. But in this case, I think surgery is something that speeds up the process, so you can get plates and screws and get it reconstructed back together. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, slips and falls off his car in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09,... Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, slips and falls off his car in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. More"Shane [van Gisbergen] talked about it — he had an injury in 2021 and broke his collarbone — he had plates, screws, everything done and he was racing back the next weekend. Thankfully, the collarbone is a relatively quick bone to fix and heal." Related: NASCAR's Connor Zilisch Gets Trolled by His Father After 'Embarrassing' Fall "We're still working out with all the doctors to figure out what's gonna 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 that quick but hopefully my young bones will heal fast, and I'll be able to get back in it as soon as possible." Now, the 2025 Xfinity Series standings leader has confirmed that he underwent surgery on his collarbone. He posted on X: "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." 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❤️ — Connor Zilisch (@ConnorZilisch) August 12, 2025 As a result of the injury, Zilisch was unable to race the following day in the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing. On the topic of Zilisch's racing return, Trackhouse's team owner Justin Marks opened up. He 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."
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Denny Hamlin Calls Out Austin Hill For Massive 16-Car NASCAR Wreck
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Denny Hamlin has called out Austin Hill for causing the 16-car pileup during the Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International last weekend. Hill had recently served a race suspension for taking out Aric Almirola during the Xfinity race at Indianapolis. At Watkins Glen, Hill was battling Michael McDowell for second place. As they came side by side at high speed on the long straight, Hill made contact with McDowell in an attempt to prevent himself from crashing into the barrier ahead, where the track narrows. The bottleneck forced Hill to swerve aggressively, hitting McDowell in the process, which then led his No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet to crash into the barrier and cause a big pileup involving 16 cars. Hamlin gave an unbiased assessment, stating that Hill should have lifted off the gas instead of taking out McDowell. Speaking on the Actions Detrimental podcast, he said: "I mean I think he covered it well. He could have lifted. He probably should have lifted. But he didn't. He's just not going to get the benefit of the doubt from the general public, but I am like, 'OK, let me just think about this in an unbiased (way)' — and I feel like I'm unbiased on Austin Hill. "But even here he was there, he was outside. But here's what he didn't take into account, is that that is a part of the racetrack where the spotters have no idea where you're at. Michael McDowell, driver of the #11 Different Night Same Rodeo Chevrolet, (L) and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, talk backstage during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200... Michael McDowell, driver of the #11 Different Night Same Rodeo Chevrolet, (L) and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, talk backstage during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. More"So thinking that Michael McDowell is going to know that you're there at that portion of the track, there's no chance. No chance of that. He's supposed to go to the right quicker. So they both swung out, but Austin got the run on the outside. There's a wall here. What the 11 should have done is hedged more towards getting, got to get back on the track sooner than later." The best view I've found of the Michael McDowell wreck! Austin Hill is a terrorist! — The Joe (@TheJoe746) August 10, 2025 The incident led to a pause of over 45 minutes as the barrier had to be fixed for the race to resume. Hill was still in his car when he spoke to The CW about the incident. He said: "Mainly, I would get to people's right sides, and that time, I ended up getting to his left side. I thought that it could work. We obviously don't have a ton of spotters around here. I don't know if he has a spotter off of that carousel corner. "He might not. But as soon as I saw he was staying tight to the grass, I probably should have lifted. That was definitely just on me. Just driver error. I'm going for it here. The #88 is driving away from us and I felt like I needed to make a move as fast as possible on the #11. Destroyed a lot of race cars, so it's just really unfortunate."
Newsweek
a day ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
NASCAR's Connor Zilisch Faces Surgery After Infamous Xfinity Victory Fall
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. NASCAR Xfinity driver Connor Zilisch has revealed that his collarbone injury may require surgery for a faster recovery. Zilisch fell off his car while celebrating his race win in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International last weekend. Falling head first, the 19-year-old driver was rushed to the medical center, where he was diagnosed with a broken collarbone. With the upcoming weekend being an off-weekend for the Xfinity Series, Zilisch will get some much-needed time to recover and resume his season, in which he maintains the lead in the points standings. Zilisch was due to race the next day for Trackhouse Racing in the Cup Series, but the injury kept him out of the race. His Trackhouse teammate Shane van Gisbergen, who won the Cup race, offered injury advice to Zilisch, which is making him consider undergoing surgery. Speaking on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Zilisch said: "I think it might be something that I might have to get surgery for. But in this case, I think surgery is something that speeds up the process, so you can get plates and screws and get it reconstructed back together. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New... Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. More"Shane [van Gisbergen] talked about it — he had an injury in 2021 and broke his collarbone — he had plates, screws, everything done and he was racing back the next weekend. Thankfully, the collarbone is a relatively quick bone to fix and heal." Zilisch also addressed his racing return, hoping that he can soon get back behind the wheel. He said: "We're still working out with all the doctors to figure out what's gonna 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 that quick but hopefully my young bones will heal fast, and I'll be able to get back in it as soon as possible." Newsweek Sports previously reported van Gisbergen's comments from Watkins Glen, where he spoke about his experience of recovering from a similar shoulder injury in 2021 and revealed that Zilisch will soon get back to racing with the help of good doctors. He said: "I broke my collarbone in 2021, left side, mine was a bit out by the AC. I did a bit more damage to my shoulder, and then I also had a fake ligament put in. I had a weekend off and raced the next week. Pretty much what he [Zilisch] is going to go through. Once the plate is in there, it's stronger than the bone was. I had a plate put in and then take it out at the end of the year. It is obviously going to be in pain. "My biggest problem was the tightening of the belts. I could really feel the plates through my skin, and it was a horrible feeling. I raced the next week and did pretty well. So, with some good doctors and some good dr*gs, he'll get through the race fine."
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Trackhouse Opens up on Connor Zilisch's Chances of Racing Return After Scary Fall
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks has opened up about the timeline for Connor Zilisch's return to NASCAR after the injury he suffered while celebrating his Xfinity Series race win at Watkins Glen International. Zilisch tried to climb on top of his car to celebrate his victory, but he lost his balance and fell hard. The 19-year-old driver was rushed to the medical center, where he was diagnosed with a broken collarbone, which meant he would be absent from the Cup Series race for Trackhouse the following day. With the next weekend being an off-weekend for the Xfinity Series, it will offer Zilisch enough time to recover. However, it remains to be seen if he will be race-ready for the following race weekend. Speaking on the topic of when the young driver would return, Marks suggested that the matter isn't simple, as it warrants discussions with several parties while ensuring Zilisch receives the care and motivation to bounce back stronger. He 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. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New... Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. More"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." Zilisch gave a detailed account of the events that led to his fall. He said: "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 and the last thing I remember was being halfway down and falling. So glad it wasn't any worse and that the collarbone the extent of the injuries, but I hate I couldn't make it to the race today and give myself a shot to get a good result for Trackhouse and Red Bull." Zilisch has been having a spectacular Xfinity season so far, securing five wins in the last eight races. He currently leads the points standings in his rookie year. However, with his racing return date still not confirmed, it remains to be seen if he will be ready to race in the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway on August 22.
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Toronto Sun
Connor Zilisch breaks collarbone in fall after NASCAR Xfinity victory at Watkins Glen
Published Aug 10, 2025 • 1 minute read Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. Photo by Sean Gardner / Getty Images WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) — NASCAR Xfinity Series points leader Connor Zilisch broke his collarbone after a hard fall in victory lane at Watkins Glen International. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account After his series-leading sixth victory, Zilisch was climbing onto the roof of his No. 88 Chevrolet to celebrate. He slipped after apparently getting his left foot caught in the driver's side window netting and tumbled awkwardly onto the asphalt. The 19-year-old Zilisch was taken on a backboard to the trackside medical center and then transported to a hospital for further evaluation. He posted on X about two hours later that he had a broken collarbone, and that CT scans showed no head injury. 'Thank you everybody for reaching out today,' Zilisch posted. 'I'm out of the hospital and getting better already. Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn't any worse.' Trackhouse Racing withdrew the No. 87 Chevrolet that Zilisch had been scheduled to drive in the Cup race Sunday at Watkins Glen. Zilisch's next Xfinity start is scheduled for Aug. 22 at Daytona International Speedway. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The scary incident capped an eventful day for Zilisch, who drives for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports team. After starting from the pole position, Zilisch wrecked teammate Shane van Gisbergen while battling for the lead on Lap 65. After being bumped from the lead to fifth on a restart, Zilisch retook first and led the final four laps. 'He did such a great job of getting back through the field and getting the lead,' crew chief Mardy Lindley told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio after the race. 'Praying for Connor right now that he's OK. I think he's going to be fine.' Zilisch missed a race earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway after sustaining a back injury during a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. He has posted 11 consecutive top-five finishes and five wins since his return. Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Care for a wager? Head to our sports betting section for news and odds. Columnists Columnists Sunshine Girls Sports Toronto & GTA
