Heartbreaking. That’s the only way to describe Connor Zilisch’s collarbone injury after the 19-year-old fell while celebrating his Xfinity Series win at Watkins Glen. Widely regarded as a ‘generational talent’, the youngster was having quite a season, with 6 wins in NASCAR’s second tier in his rookie campaign, along with a handful of appearances in Cup. However, the recent setback will keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future, a bitter blow to his playoff ambitions.

But despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, Justin Marks is showing loyalty to his driver. The Trackhouse Racing owner refused to name a replacement for the No. 87 Chevy when it became clear that Zilisch would be forced to withdraw, and explained the underlying reasons behind his decision.

Justin Marks is hopeful for Zilisch’s quick recovery

“I hate I couldn’t make it to the race today,” said Connor Zilisch, who was expected to make his fourth Cup Series appearance of the season at Watkins Glen. Touted as one of the favorites on the road course, the youngster had already gone wheel-to-wheel against Shane van Gisbergen at the 2025 Mission 200 at The Glen and emerged victorious. So the expectations were high from the racer, who was not just hoping to get his first top-10 finish in the Cup Series, but also potentially getting his first win at the highest level.

For Justin Marks, replacing Connor Zilisch in the No. 87 Chevy was out of the question. Sharing his thoughts on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he said, “He’s gonna go, you know, get rehabbed and get back in the race car as quickly as possible. With Redbull, and WeatherTech, and Chevrolet, and this fourth car program, and just all of the people in it, it’s just this program is all about Connor. So it was never really, never a conversation to put another driver in it or anything like that. It just was, ‘Alright, let’s you know, put it in the Truck and kind of rack the deck when we get back this week’ and see if we can get him in the car again this year.”

Getting a replacement for Zilisch was easier said than done, with Justin Marks admitting, “I think at the end of the day, Red Bull speaks loudly. They’re the one that’s paying the bill. We all kind of pow-wowed late last night to talk about it, and ultimately, just because of the relationships, the partners, because that program is about Connor, I think the best thing was to not dilute that program and that sponsorship and Connor as an athlete by putting somebody else in the car.” He also went on to joke that “I had left my helmet at home.”

Despite being only 19, the North Carolina-native is already being touted for a full-time Cup Series seat in 2026, further amplified by Daniel Suarez’s departure from Trackhouse Racing. Currently on top of the driver standings in the Xfinity Series, his stock will only rise from this point on, especially if he wins the trophy in his rookie campaign. And Trackhouse Racing will want to ward off poachers, which might be easier said than done, especially if Hendrick Motorsports comes sniffing about.

This means allowing Connor Zilisch to compete against NASCAR’s heavyweights, despite his lack of experience. Like the old saying goes, “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” and the racer has already proven himself with JR Motorsports. However, Marks isn’t getting carried away just yet, and he’s focused on his racer recovering before taking the next steps. He said, “Right now, we’re just focused on making sure he can get back into that 88 Xfinity car and try to go win that championship.”

Connor Zilisch opens up about his Watkins Glen fall

It was a bad fall. Connor Zilisch will now be facing a race against time to be fit ahead of the August 22nd race at Daytona International Speedway. With the Xfinity Series taking a one-week break, the youngster has some time to recover from his broken collarbone, or hope for a waiver so that he’s still eligible for the championship when the Round of 12 playoffs begin at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. Marks has already made it clear that they’ll be adopting a long-term view of the situation, saying, “We have to approach that as such and make sure that we’re not hurting any long-term opportunities by taking advantage of a short-term opportunity.”

Reflecting on how it all happened, Zilisch said, “I remember, 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. I remember my legs split the door. I had one outside the door, one in the door, and that’s when I started to tumble. The last thing I remember was thinking I was going to break my leg.” It could have been a lot worse than a broken collarbone, and Connor Zilisch recognizes it. “So grateful for that, grateful that my head’s ok, my legs are ok,” he said.

The youngster has a realistic appraisal of his recovery situation, going on to say, “I don’t think I’ll be that quick, but it certainly is an injury that can heal quicker than maybe some other bones in the body.” It remains to be seen if he will be granted a waiver in case he misses out on the upcoming races, but the racer will desperately hope to be back in contention for the silverware as soon as he’s medically cleared. Do you think Connor Zilisch will be back in a racecar before the Xfinity Series playoffs begin? Let us know in the comments!