Connor Zilisch Rewrites Xfinity History Weeks After Victory Lane Horror Rocked the NASCAR Garage

Victory Lane is supposed to be the happiest place on earth for a NASCAR driver. But for 19-year-old Connor Zilisch, it turned into a nightmare a few weeks ago at Watkins Glen. While climbing down from his car after a win, he slipped, crashed to the ground, and broke his collarbone. Instead of soaking up the spotlight, he was headed for surgery on August 8, right when his rookie season was catching fire.

Now, most drivers would’ve shut it down for a while. But Zilisch? Well, he circled Portland International Raceway on the calendar, gritted through rehab, and climbed back into the No. 88 for the Pacific Office Automation 147. What happened next didn’t just quiet the doubters. Rather, it pointed to something much bigger, and a moment that felt, well… let’s just say, ‘historic.’

Connor Zilisch defies odds with historic Portland victory

Just two weeks after undergoing collarbone surgery, Connor Zilisch etched his name into the NASCAR history books with a remarkable eighth win of the season at Portland International Raceway. The victory marked his third straight, following Daytona (where he started the race before Parker Kligerman filled in) and another dominant performance the week prior at Watkins Glen. By rule, NASCAR credits the win to the driver who qualifies and starts. This allowed Zilisch to keep his streak alive despite the injury setback.

This latest triumph extends Zilisch’s top-five streak to 13 races, dating back to when Kyle Larson subbed for him at Texas. To top that, the young phenom has set the record for most wins by a rookie at eight. He is also the second driver in the series history to win seven out of 10 races. Even after missing one race and battling through physical pain, the rookie phenom leads his JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier by 20 points in the regular-season standings. “To come back two weeks after collarbone surgery, it hurt, but it hurt so good,” Zilisch told The CW Sports after celebrating in Victory Lane.

The race itself was far from smooth sailing. A late restart with 15 laps remaining saw Austin Hill briefly get past Zilisch, marking the first time anyone had passed the No. 88 on track all afternoon. A tire rub and penalty detour nearly derailed his shot. But Zilisch’s prior practice running the alternate route proved crucial. “It’s kinda funny, I ran it in practice and was like, ‘Man, it’s really not that slow,’” he explained. “In a last resort, you have to do what you have to do.”

When the green-white-checker came out, Zilisch nailed the launch while chaos erupted behind him, sealing yet another defining moment in his young career. Zilisch eventually won with a decent gap of 1.572 seconds over second-place William Sawalich. Now, with just one regular-season race left at WWT Raceway, the 19-year-old looks to hold off Allgaier and secure the championship lead heading into the playoffs and create bigger history.

Connor Zilisch set for Cup Series debut

Connor Zilisch’s meteoric rise in the Xfinity Series has officially earned him a ticket to the sport’s grandest stage. Trackhouse Racing announced that Zilisch will join its Cup Series roster full-time in 2026 on a multi-year contract. He will be replacing departing driver Daniel Suárez. At only 19 years old, he’s set to line up alongside seasoned veterans Ross Chastain and rookie standout Shane van Gisbergen.

Zilisch’s promotion isn’t just hype. Rather, it’s a testament to consistent dominance. He’s racked up eight wins this year behind the wheel of the No. 88 for JR Motorsports. This is on top of top-tier results across ARCA, Truck, and CARS Tour divisions. His performance caught the eye of Trackhouse owner Justin Marks, who called Zilisch a “generational talent” and emphasized the team’s confidence in his maturity and readiness.

This opportunity arrives just as Zilisch rebounds from a broken collarbone suffered in a scary fall in Victory Lane. Despite the setback, he returned swiftly. Zilisch jump-started his comeback with a dominant win at Portland that marked another chapter in his rookie season for the ages.

Trackhouse continues to build one of NASCAR’s most dynamic lineups. The addition of Zilisch further deepens their talent pool. It adds a youthful yet seasoned competitor to a team that’s already making waves in the premier series. With his Cup Series entry now secured, Zilisch’s story evolves from “promising rookie” to “full-fledged contender.” It’s only the beginning for NASCAR’s latest phenom.