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JR Motorsports driver Connor Zilisch opened up about his on-track mishap during the SciAps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The young driver was involved in a collision with JGR's William Sawalich that saw him tumble down the order.
On lap 212, Mason Massey spun down the frontstretch after making contact with JRM's Justin Allgaier, forcing Zilisch to back up along the outside wall. Consequently, Sawalich slammed into the back of Zilisch's No.88 Chevrolet. The JGR driver retired from the race with severe front-end damage, while Zilisch dropped out of contention from his sixth-place run.
Speaking to the media post-race, Zilisch reflected on the incident.
"Quite a bit of damage to the back of it and I just didn't have much grip. Pretty frustrating, felt like our car was good as our team mates who all ran in the top-5," he said (via Frontstretch).
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"I was already pretty checked up and I thought I was good and all of a sudden,Bamm, and I was like "Woah". I don't know what he was doing but I feel like it's every week between me and [William Sawalich]," Zilisch added.
Connow Zilisch eyed his second win of the season after qualifying second on the grid. However, the incident resulted in the 18-year-old dropping outside the top 10 to finish at 12th. Meanwhile, his teammates Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, and Sammy Smith posted top-five finishes.
Sawalich has previously expressed his displeasure in racing Zilisch, following his loss to the JRM driver at the 2024 Atlas 150 Arca Menards race at Iowa Speedway.
"That race is so tough": Connor Zilisch opens up about his crown jewel debut at Charlotte
Connor Zilisch is set to compete in his second NASCAR Cup Series race in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. On April 3, the young prodigy was announced to pilot the No.87 Red Bull Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing.
Reflecting upon his debut at the crown jewel event, Zilisch shared his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity, saying (via Speedwaydigest.com):
"It's awesome to have the opportunity to race in one of NASCAR's coolest events. The Charlotte 600 is one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. It's going to be a physical and mental challenge because that race is so tough. I'm very appreciative of (Trackhouse owner and founder) Justin (Marks) and everyone at Red Bull for their support and turning this opportunity into a reality."
In his Cup Series debut, then-18-year-old Connor Zilisch competed in The Circuit of The Americas, making him the youngest debutant since Joey Logano in 2008. He began his race at 14th and immediately sustained a blown right front after contact on the opening lap.
He came out of the pits and gradually climbed back to tenth. However, misery struck for the young hopeful when he got collected by Daniel Suarez's spin on lap 50. The collision ended the race for both drivers, with Connor Zilisch placing last in a 37-car field.
