Victory Lane is supposed to be the happiest place on earth for a NASCAR driver. But for 19-year-old Connor Zilisch, it turned into a nightmare a few weeks ago at Watkins Glen. While climbing down from his car after a win, he slipped, crashed to the ground, and broke his collarbone. Instead of soaking up the spotlight, he was headed for surgery on August 8, right when his rookie season was catching fire.

Now, most drivers would’ve shut it down for a while. But Zilisch? Well, he circled Portland International Raceway on the calendar, gritted through rehab, and climbed back into the No. 88 for the Pacific Office Automation 147. What happened next didn’t just quiet the doubters. Rather, it pointed to something much bigger, and a moment that felt, well… let’s just say, ‘historic.’

Connor Zil

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