Connor Zilisch was absolutely on fire at Watkins Glen in August 2025. Driving for JR Motorsports, the 19-year-old phenom snagged the pole for the Mission 200 at The Glen and put on a clinic, leading 60 of 82 laps, winning the second stage, and crossing the finish line ahead of Sam Mayer and Sammy Smith. It was his seventh career Xfinity win, his sixth of the season, and a statement that he’s not just a rising star, he’s leading the Xfinity Series points.
The kid from Mooresville was untouchable, outrunning teammate Shane van Gisbergen and surviving a chaotic, crash-filled race that included a 45-minute red flag for a 16-car pileup. But Victory Lane turned into a heart-stopping moment. As Zilisch climbed onto his No. 88 Chevrolet to celebrate, his foot got caught in the window net, sending him tumbling headfirst to the asphalt.
The fall, caught on CBS cameras, left him motionless as medics rushed in. He was stretchered to the infield care center and later taken to a local hospital. Scans cleared him of head injuries, but a broken collarbone meant surgery with plates and screws, sidelining him for the Cup Series race the next day. Zilisch took to social media to thank the medics and reassure fans he was on the mend, but the incident sent shockwaves through NASCAR.
The support poured in, but one voice stood out from the pack: Team Penske’s Austin Cindric. The 2022 Daytona 500 winner, no stranger to big moments, offered a mix of empathy and humor that’s got everyone talking about Zilisch’s “rookie mistake” and what it means for the sport’s next generation.
Big trees fall hard
When Claire B. Lang caught up with Austin Cindric to talk about Zilisch’s mishap, the Penske star didn’t hesitate to weigh in. “Yeah, I mean those close to me probably wouldn’t say that I’m the most graceful individual… I think about what happened to Connor often because… big tree fall hard. That’s a long way for a big tall guy to fall from.”
At 6-foot-3, Cindric knows a thing or two about the perils of climbing on stock cars, especially for taller drivers. Zilisch’s fall on August 9, 2025, was no laughing matter; his broken collarbone required surgery, and the scary scene left the NASCAR world rattled. Cindric’s quip about “big tree fall hard” captures the moment’s gravity with a nod to their shared experience as lanky racers who’ve got to be extra careful when celebrating.
Cindric got into the nitty-gritty of Zilisch’s blunder, saying, “So I guess the rookie mistake there was not putting the window net inside the race car… it covers out the door numbers and then the pictures look bad. But yeah, it’s a scary sight… upsetting to sit there and watch and… feel helpless.”
Interesting answer from @AustinCindric – on @ConnorZilisch type fall after slipping from car window in Victory Lane.
I asked Cindric about standing on car window – he’s graceful but….
Also about Richmond upcoming: pic.twitter.com/9aVOhHbs3q
— Claire B Lang (@ClaireBLang) August 13, 2025
He’s right about the window net, drivers often drop it post-race to signal they’re safe, but Zilisch left it hanging to keep sponsor logos visible. NBC footage showed his foot catching in the net, turning a routine celebration into a painful tumble. Cindric’s “helpless” comment echoes the pit road vibe, everyone from crew chiefs to fans felt that gut punch watching a young star go down.
He wrapped it up with a lighthearted jab: “I think his dad put out a tweet making fun of him… probably very similar to what my dad would have put… it’s a shame, but it’s probably not going to stop me from being overly excited when I get out of the race car. Moral of the story… you might as well just stand on the roof.”
Zilisch’s dad, Joel, poked fun on X, joking about his son’s lack of “style points.” Cindric, whose father, Tim, runs Team Penske, gets the family ribbing. His point about sticking to the roof nods to NASCAR’s love for big celebrations, think Richard Petty’s waves or Carl Edwards’ backflips. Despite the scare, Cindric’s not dialing back his flair, and he’s betting Zilisch won’t either once he’s back.
Drivers rethink celebrations, but NASCAR stays Hands-Off
Zilisch’s fall sparked a bigger conversation about Victory Lane antics, but NASCAR’s not touching the rulebook. The Xfinity Series points leader broke his collarbone when he slipped off his car’s door, a moment he recounted to NBC Sports: “I got up on the car and I put my leg on the window net on the door and as soon as they started spraying water, it just kind of started to slide and I lost my footing… my legs split the door, I had one outside the door, one in the door and that’s when I started to tumble.”
Surgery followed on August 12, with no clear timeline for his return, though the Xfinity Series’ break until the August 22 Wawa 250 at Daytona gives him some recovery time. The incident had drivers rethinking their moves. Shane van Gisbergen, Zilisch’s JR Motorsports teammate, admitted, “I always have bad dreams of slipping over and doing that in front of everyone.”
After his Cup win at Watkins Glen, SVG stood on his car’s roof on the track but skipped it in Victory Lane. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin said, “I’m going to think about it from now on… Maybe I should just sit my but- right on the top, just sit there.” Josh Berry, who climbed on his car’s roof after a March win in Las Vegas, added, “That was just so frightening to see… I think we’ll think about it more when you see something like that… whether the window net ends up on the door.”
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