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By Saajan Jogia
Sports Contributing Writer
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Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks has opened up about the timeline for Connor Zilisch's return to NASCAR after the injury he suffered while celebrating his Xfinity Series race win at Watkins Glen International.
Zilisch tried to climb on top of his car to celebrate his victory, but he lost his balance and fell hard. The 19-year-old driver was rushed to the medical center, where he was diagnosed with a broken collarbone, which meant he would be absent from the Cup Series race for Trackhouse the following day.
With the next weekend being an off-weekend for the Xfinity Series, it will offer Zilisch enough time to recover. However, it remains to be seen if he will be race-ready for the following race weekend. Speaking on the topic of when the young driver would return, Marks suggested that the matter isn't simple, as it warrants discussions with several parties while ensuring Zilisch receives the care and motivation to bounce back stronger. He said:
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"I think it's a discussion that we all have to have. We haven't really talked about much, obviously, since yesterday, but in the little bit that we've discussed in some of the quiet moments over the last 24 hours, it's going to have to be a group decision.
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"It's going to have to be sponsors, Chevrolet, the team, taking care of his development, taking care of him as a human and as an athlete, and then keeping his motivations high and making sure he knows he's got a group of people behind him that are supportive of him."
Zilisch gave a detailed account of the events that led to his fall. He said:
"I was climbing out of the car, and obviously the window net was on the door and as soon as they started spraying water, my foot slipped and the last thing I remember was being halfway down and falling. So glad it wasn't any worse and that the collarbone the extent of the injuries, but I hate I couldn't make it to the race today and give myself a shot to get a good result for Trackhouse and Red Bull."
Zilisch has been having a spectacular Xfinity season so far, securing five wins in the last eight races. He currently leads the points standings in his rookie year. However, with his racing return date still not confirmed, it remains to be seen if he will be ready to race in the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway on August 22.
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