Connor Zilisch provides injury update before Rolex – Sports News
NASCAR prodigy Connor Zilisch is a matter of days away from making his IMSA WeatherTech SportsAutomotive Championship Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) bow on the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and fortunately, he’s doing so with a clean invoice of health.
The 19-year-old suffered a damaged collarbone while celebrating his NASCAR O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series win at Watkins Glen for JR Motorsports final season. Standing upon his Chevrolet, Zilisch’s foot slipped into the cockpit off the door, prompting him to fall headfirst onto the asphalt.
Credited with the win, Zilisch would go on to win three of the following 5 races, however in the end fell short within the championship race, dropping out to Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love, who crossed the road in first, two spots forward of the season’s 10-time race winner.
“It probably took two months of PT [physical therapy], and I haven’t really had any worries about it since,” Zilisch stated. “I didn’t get the plate out. I don’t plan on getting the plate out. So, everything’s been really good. It certainly was a headache at first, but I’m glad everything’s fine now.”
Qualifying is set to happen on Thursday, Jan. 22, beginning at 2:05 pm ET on YouTube, IMSA TV, and Peacock, with the race set to begin at 1:30 pm ET on Saturday, Jan. 24, on Peacock, YouTube, IMSA TV, and NBC.
This will mark Zilisch’s third consecutive yr competing within the occasion, having received in 2024 with Era Motorsport within the LMP2 class, which they adopted up with a win on the following 12 Hours of Sebring on the subsequent occasion.
That season, Zilisch and Era additionally managed third-place finishes on the IMSA Battle on the Bricks in Indianapolis and on the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The following yr, competing within the GTD Pro class with Trackhouse by TF Sport, Zilisch completed ninth alongside soon-to-be Cup Series teammate with Trackhouse Racing, Shane van Gisbergen.
Zilisch, van Gisbergen, and Ross Chastain are set to signify Trackhouse within the Cup Series full-time in 2026, beginning with the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 1, before the season really will get underway with the primary points-scoring occasion, the Daytona 500, on Feb. 15.
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