Connor Zilisch captures one other NASCAR Xfinity Sequence win at Watkins Glen Worldwide on Saturday afternoon within the Mission 200 at The Glen. He was later transported to the native hospital after a fall in victory lane.
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – It was as hard-earned a victory because the 19-year-old Connor Zilisch has claimed in his temporary NASCAR profession – answering his win from pole place a yr in the past in his NASCAR Xfinity Sequence debut on the historic Watkins Glen Worldwide street course with a second consecutive victory Saturday afternoon in a crash-heavy Mission 200 at The Glen.
Connor Zilisch Captures One other Win
As Zilisch climbed out of the cockpit and onto the door ledge of his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to have a good time his series-best sixth trophy of the season, he slipped and fell to the bottom. Medical groups arrived instantly to are inclined to him and transported him on a backboard to the trackside medical heart.
NASCAR confirmed Zilisch was “awake and alert” and that he was transported to a neighborhood hospital for additional analysis.
The incident adopted an action-packed day of competitors on the famed 2.45-mile street course that included fierce racing on the entrance of the sector and a 45-minute pink flag for a sequence’ observe document 16-car accident with eight laps remaining.
Finally, Zilisch, who led 60 of the race’s 82 laps, motored off to a 2.326-second win over Haas Manufacturing unit Group’s Sam Mayer – that sixth win, one shy of exceeding Christopher Bell’s rookie document of six victories set in 2018.
An Afternoon of Excessive Drama
The extremely anticipated aggressive duel between the JR Motorsports teammates Zilisch and street course ace Shane Van Gisbergen on the entrance of the sector was evident from the weekend’s observe and qualifying, and finally the race. Zilisch claimed the pole place and began alongside the 35-year-old former Australian SuperCar Sequence champion on the entrance row. One thing that has grow to be a well-recognized search for the street racing aces.
For a lot of the day, it regarded like the result would certainly come all the way down to Zilisch and Van Gisbergen. They raced out entrance for almost all of the day earlier than making contact with 16 laps remaining.
Zilisch inherited the lead and instantly relayed to his crew, “he [Van Gisbergen] spun off my nostril” and advised his crew once more “if I wrecked him, inform me.” He was advised to “shake it off” and go racing.
Van Gisbergen, who will begin from exterior the entrance row once more in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Sequence race on the observe, didn’t put any blame on Zilisch and stated he wanted to take a look at a replay.
“Fairly gutted actually, gutted for the JR Motorsports guys,’’ Van Gisbergen stated. “The automotive wasn’t nice however we nonetheless managed to get ourselves in good place.
“I haven’t seen it but,’’ he stated when pressed on what occurred. “Will watch it later and work it out.’’
Austin Hill vs. Michael McDowell
On the following inexperienced flag from the incident, Austin Hill’s No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevy tagged the suitable rear of Zilisch’s automotive going into the primary flip, giving the veteran Hill the lead as Zilisch gathered his automotive vast of the racing line. A warning got here out instantly for particles elsewhere on the observe, placing Hill and NASCAR Cup Sequence street racing ace Michael McDowell out entrance for a restart.
Solely eight laps after that, Zilisch raced ahead from fifth place and navigated round Hill. Moments later, Hill’s automotive had huge contact with McDowell’s, triggering the huge 16-car pileup.
MdDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 winner, took he most dramatic hit within the huge accident, sliding laborious into the partitions on either side of the fifth and sixth flip part of the course. Regardless of the stirring incident in his first NASCAR Xfinity Sequence begin in 9 years, McDowell was not injured. He gave an entire assessment of the incident, even providing a smile.
“That was unlucky and I simply hate it for everyone at Kaulig Racing,’’ McDowell stated of the crash. “We had a pair pictures at it and hoped to get to victory lane however that was unlucky. … However that’s racing and grateful to everyone at Kaulig. Was attempting to do a superb job for them there.”
Hill, who finally completed fourth, spoke with The CW tv dwell broadcast throughout the pink flag.
“The 11 [McDowell] had been struggling slightly bit in entrance of me for just a few laps,’’ Hill stated of the incident. “I assumed if I received a sufficiently big run I’d may get to his left aspect and get that place.
“I hate it for everybody concerned, that was positively not what I needed to occur getting back from what we had happening,’’ continued Hill. “All we will do is get it behind us, put our head down and we’ve nonetheless received a shot to win this factor. Received to get my thoughts proper for this re-start.’’
Zilisch’s JR Motorsports teammate Sammy Smith completed third adopted by Hill and JRM’s Carson Kvapil and Justin Allgaier.
Jordan Anderson Racing’s Austin Inexperienced, Kaulig Racing’s Christian Eckes, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones, and AM Racing’s Harrison Burton spherical out the highest ten.
Three races stay now earlier than the Playoffs. Zilisch and his teammate Allgaier – who every gained a race stage on Saturday and stay atop the championship standings. Zilisch leads Allgaier by seven factors.
Along with his tenth-place exhibiting, Harrison Burton is holding on to the vital Twelfth-place Playoff switch place. He’s 30 factors forward of his cousin, Jeb Burton, and 38 up on Ryan Sieg.
Subsequent Up
The NASCAR Xfinity Sequence will take a one-week break this weekend earlier than returning to competitors within the Aug. 22 Friday evening Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Ryan Truex is the defending race winner.
