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Connor Zilisch hilariously reveals first thing he said on stretcher after falling off car at Watkins Glen

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones08/11/25brianjones_93
Connor Zilisch (3)
Aug 9, 2025; Watkins Glen, New York, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch falls from his race car while celebrating in victory lane after winning the Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Connor Zilisch had a funny reaction after falling off his car at Watkins Glen this past weekend. On the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Zilisch revealed the first thing he said while he was on the stretcher.

“I’m in this neck brace, and I’m getting pulled away on the stretcher,” Connor Zilisch said. “Apparently, the first words that came out of my mouth that were legitimate were, ‘God, everyone’s going to think I’m a p***y.’ Because I was like, ‘Why am I on a stretcher right now? I feel fine.’ I didn’t realize what had happened.”

What happened to Zilisch is that he broke his collarbone after winning his sixth NASCAR Xfinity Series race of the season. He was scheduled to compete in the Cup Series race on Sunday, but due to obvious reasons, Zilisch had to miss the event.

Zilisch competes part-time in the Cup Series for Trackhouse Racing. After Trackhouse member Shane van Gisbergen won the Watkins Glen race on Sunday, owner Justin Marks shared an update on Zilisch.

How much time will Connor Zilisch miss?

“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,” Marks said at the post-race press conference. “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.”

The Xfinity Series is off this week and will return to action on Aug. 22 at Daytona International Speedway. It would be a huge loss if Zilisch is out for a significant amount of time, as he leads the Xfinity Series in wins and points in his rookie year.

“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,” Zilisch said on Sunday (per NASCAR.com), “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.”