Connor Zilisch, the 19-year-old JR Motorsports driver, recently spoke out about the Shane Van Gisbergen wreck controversy during the Xfinity race at Watkins Glen. Driving the #88 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt’s team, Zilisch was involved in a key moment with Van Gisbergen, his teammate, while attempting to pass him. With 18 laps remaining, the two collided at Turn 7, sending Van Gisbergen crashing into the outside wall.
On the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Zilisch and his spotter Josh Williams were questioned about whether the wreck was intentional. Addressing the speculation, Zilisch firmly denied any deliberate wrongdoing.
“Yeah, I did not. I did not do that on purpose like, if I wanted to wreck him, I would have. I had ten laps before, like I was doing literally everything in my power to try and pass him without touching him. And like I told Josh, I said ‘if I wrecked a guy, tell me like, don’t lie to me.'” —Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Driver
Zilisch’s Victory Marred by Injury During Celebration
Although Zilisch secured the race victory at Watkins Glen, his celebration took a painful twist that threatened his participation in upcoming events. While stepping out of his car to celebrate with the team, he slipped from the window and fell hard to the ground, resulting in a fractured collarbone.
The injury was severe enough to require immediate hospitalization, and it forced Zilisch to miss his scheduled part-time Cup Series race at the Go Bowling at The Glen event the following Sunday. Despite this, he was seen the next day at the trackside, his arm in a sling, engaging with NBC reporter Dustin Long.
“Yeah, I’ve definitely I’ve called myself a dummy more than once already, and yeah, if it was any worse I probably wouldn’t be joking, but, I take these things very light-hearted. It’s a very serious matter, but, I just try and stay positive through it all,” —Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Driver
Focus Shifts to Recovery Amid Disappointment
The injury not only ended Zilisch’s chance to compete at the Cup Series event but also meant he had to watch the race from the paddock instead of being on the track. Despite the setback, Zilisch expressed a determined and optimistic attitude about his recovery and future racing prospects.
“I can’t do anything about it at this at this point, except focus on my recovery moving forward. It helps to have people who are willing to joke with me, and I’m definitely not afraid of the jokes. I’m grateful that, like I said, it wasn’t any worse and I can move on from this and here walking around today,” —Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Driver
Following these events, Zilisch’s father also shared updates on his condition, reassuring fans and the racing community about his progress.