Teenage NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch is feeling lucky not to have been more badly hurt when he took a nasty fall while celebrating his win on Saturday.
The 19-year-old American was back on the track at Watkins Glen International in New York state on Monday (local time) nursing a broken collarbone but still smiling.
“I’m doing OK,” he said in an interview with USA Network about the accident, which occurred in the victory lane when he tried to climb up on his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet after winning the Xfinity Series race.
“I’m very grateful to be able to walk away from that. And I guess I didn’t walk away, but very grateful to be walking today and to just be all right.”
Shocking live footage shows the young driver falling hard to the ground after losing his footing while climbing onto the roof of his car. Onlookers and medical staff rushed to Zilisch’s aid as he lay prone, but he was apparently alert when loaded into an ambulance and taken to hospital.
“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,” he said later in the broadcast interview.
“The last thing I remember was being halfway down and falling, so I’m glad it wasn’t any worse, and that the collarbone is the extent of the injuries, but hate I couldn’t make it to the race today [Sunday].”
Zilisch posted on social media that he was grateful to those who had got in touch after witnessing the tumble, and to the medics “for taking great care of me all evening long”.
“Proud of my @jrmotorsports team on getting our 6th win of the year, hate I couldn’t celebrate with them!” he added.
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Saturday’s win was Zilisch’s sixth of the Xfinity Series season. The series resumes on August 22 at Daytona International Speedway, but it’s not yet clear if he will be back in the driver’s seat by then.
“We’re still working out with the doctors to work out what happens next,” Zilisch said, noting that his Trackhouse Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen was able to race the weekend after having a plate put in when he broke a collarbone several years ago.
“I don’t know if I’ll be that quick but hopefully my young bones will heal fast and I’ll be back into it as soon as possible,” he said.
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