Will Connor Zilisch race at the upcoming Daytona race? All we know so far

Trackhouse Racing driver Connor Zilisch’s recent injury has left NASCAR fans wondering if he will be on track for the upcoming race at Daytona International Speedway. The uncertainty follows his fall while celebrating his Watkins Glen win, which forced him into surgery.

The update came through a tweet by Bob Pockrass on X. Pockrass, a NASCAR reporter for FOX Sports, posted:

“Connor Zilisch Has Surgery On Broken Collarbone, Return TBD”.

Bob Pockrass

@bobpockrass

Connor Zilisch Has Surgery On Broken Collarbone, Return TBD @NASCARONFOX

In the post-race celebrations at Watkins Glen, Zilisch slipped while climbing into his car after his win. He lost his footing when his foot landed on the window net, which wasn’t tucked inside. Water being sprayed by his team made the surface slippery, causing him to fall awkwardly. He was briefly knocked unconscious, but later confirmed that all CT scans for head injuries came back clear.

The incident happened just after Connor Zilisch’s sixth win of the season. The 19-year-old had led much of the race and climbed out to celebrate when the fall occurred. He underwent surgery to repair a broken collarbone, with a plate and screws inserted to help with the healing. The recovery timeline is still unclear.

The series has three races left in the regular season — at Daytona, Portland, and World Wide Technology Raceway. The series is off this weekend, which could help him recover in time for Daytona.

If Zilisch misses a race, he will require a NASCAR waiver to remain eligible for the playoffs. Another option would be to start the race and then hand over to a standby driver so he can still win points. Trackhouse Racing has yet to confirm his plans for Daytona.

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Surgery recovery and mental challenge for Connor Zilisch

Connor Zilisch is still recovering from the broken collarbone he sustained at Watkins Glen International last weekend. While the injury has made his return back to racing physically demanding, Zilisch has also admitted that the past few days have been mentally tough.

The Watkins Glen weekend had started perfectly for him. Driving the #88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Zilisch started on pole for the Mission 200 and led 60 of the 82 laps. The win locked in his sixth one of the season. Following his fall in the victory lane, Zilisch was taken to the infield care center and then to a hospital.

He was released soon after but did not compete in the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen the next day, where he was set to drive for Trackhouse Racing. In a post on X on August 12, Zilisch gave fans an update,

“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

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❤️

The week off in the Xfinity Series gives him some recovery time before the Wawa 250 at Daytona. That race is the third-to-last before the playoffs begin at Bristol Motor Speedway.

So far this season, Connor Zilisch has six wins, 12 top-five finishes, and 14 top-10s. He has also earned 36 playoff points, which could prove crucial if his recovery impacts his performance in the final regular-season races.