“He got lucky for sure”: Connor Zilisch’s boss addresses his injury and JR Motorsports' NASCAR title ambition

NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen - Practice - Source: Getty
Connor Zilisch speaks to Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Mark - Source: Getty

Connor Zilisch's boss from Trackhouse Racing, Justin Marks, shared an update on the Xfinity Series driver's recent status. Speaking about Zilisch's injury, Marks stated that the #88 driver got lucky to have escaped major trouble, and that they are currently focusing on Zilisch's recovery so that he can fight for the Xfinity Series Championship.

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Zilisch, a development and Cup Series driver for Justin Marks-owned Trackhouse Racing, is racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports. The 19-year-old rookie, who has taken the racing series by storm, recently suffered an injury following the race at Watkins Glen.

Having won the race, Zilisch tried to stand on the door of his #88 car and celebrate the victory. However, he slipped and fell due to his leg getting stuck. Zilisch was taken to immediate medical care. Days later, Marks opened up about Zilisch's injury as he spoke to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on X:

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"He was with me on the bus all day watching the race, and you know we talked about everything and I think you know he's in great spirits," Marks said. "And I think he got lucky for sure, as that could have been a lot worse than it was. But you know, he's excited about the opportunity in the sport, he's gonna go, you know, get rehabbed, and get back in the race car as quickly as possible. You know with Red Bull and with Weathertech and Chevrolet and this fourth car program and just all the people in it."
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"It's just that this program is all about Connor, so it was never really, never a conversation about putting another driver in it, or anything like that. It just was, 'alright let's just put it in the Truck and kind of re-rack the deck and get back this week and see if we can get him in the car again this year', but right now we're just focused on making sure that he can get back in that 88 Xfinity car, and try to go win that championship," he further added.
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Immediately after the incident, Connor Zilisch was put onto a stretcher and taken to the infield care centre. CT scans were run, and thankfully, there was no head injury. However, he suffered from a broken collarbone.


Justin Marks revealed Connor Zilisch's next steps as he heals from injury

Justin Marks, Trackhouse Racing's owner, the team that developed Connor Zilisch's driving prowess, shared his thoughts on the driver's future steps. Speaking to the media, here's what Marks said:

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NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch falls from his race car while celebrating in victory lane - Source: Imagn
NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch falls from his race car while celebrating in victory lane - Source: Imagn
“It’s going to have to be a group decision,” Marks said of when Zilisch will race after he is medically cleared. “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.”

Having won six races already, Connor Zilisch has already qualified for the NASCAR playoffs and is currently leading the regular season championship, ahead of his JR Motorsports teammate, Justin Allgaier. Sam Mayer is in third place in the championship.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Anisha Chatterjee
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