“I’ve worked so hard for this one”: Connor Zilisch tries to contain emotions after winning on NASCAR debut

Connor Zilisch's highly anticipated NASCAR Xfinity debut took place this Saturday at Mission 200 at The Glen, and it was memorable for all the right reasons. Zilisch triumphed in his debut race, clinching his first Xfinity Series victory after enduring a tense double overtime. During the post-race interview, he appeared to be struggling to contain his emotions.

In his conversation with the NASCAR reporter, with tears in his eyes, Connor Zilisch shared:

"I worked so hard for this one. I’ve been working for this one for months and it’s so special to me, man. I don’t even have words. I don’t know how I saved enough, I sputtered up the hill. I didn't think I was going to make it back to line. I’m going to enjoy this one for a while. It's that special.”

Connor Zilisch made his first appearance in the ARCA Menards series last year at Watkins Glen, securing a commendable second-place finish. Returning to the field this year, the 18-year-old captured five race victories, so far. Additionally, this season marked Zilisch's entrance into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as well, where he quickly demonstrated his skill by securing the pole position in his debut race at the Circuit of the Americas, ultimately finishing P4 on the track.

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What transpired during the Mission 200 at the Glen race that led to Connor Zilisch's win?

The young racer, Connor Zilisch, managed his fuel expertly to win the under-caution Mission 200 at the Glen race at Watkins Glen. Zilisch also had to overcome a mid-race penalty for cutting the course while competing among the top three drivers, including Ty Gibbs and Sam Mayer. The penalty relegated them to the back of the pack for the restart.

Despite this setback, Connor Zilisch, who had won in Stage 1, became the seventh driver in series history to win on debut. Starting from 31st place after his first stage win, Zilisch moved into the top five within just 20 laps.

Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen, in his inaugural season of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, secured a fifth-place finish in the race after qualifying P13. His journey through the race saw him navigate from 36th in Stage 1 to 31st in Stage 2. He was quite impressed with Zilisch's victory and personally congratulated the young driver on his debut win. Van Gisbergen even suggested that a team should consider placing the 18-year-old in a Cup Series car for the upcoming Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., the owner of JR Motorsports, called Connor Zilisch during his winner's press conference. Earnhardt's message to Zilisch was heartfelt:

"Enjoy this, you never win your 'first' again."

Sheldon Creed, who finished in second place for the sixth time this season, displayed a smile on pit road, yet he was visibly disappointed to come so close yet again in the final lap. AJ Allmendinger, Chandler Smith, and SVG rounded off the top-five finishers.