Freak NASCAR injury sparks immediate rule change

That freak injury suffered by Conor Zilisch in Victory Lane on Saturday might have killed NASCAR celebrations for some drivers, forever.

The racing world held its collective breath when the 19-year-old phenom fell heavily to the pavement after getting tangled up trying to climb onto the roof of his No. 88 Chevrolet.

READ MORE: NASCAR team facing multiple penalties after Watkins Glen incident

In a split second, the ecstasy of a sixth Xfinity Series win of 2025 turned to agony as Zilisch lay motionless in Victory Lane. He was rushed to the onsite medical center before being transferred to a local hospital for further investigation.

Tests showed that the exciting teen had suffered a fractured collarbone, and he must now decide whether to undergo surgery before returning to action.

As he began his rehab, the JR Motorsports phenom appeared on the Door Bumper Clear podcast to talk about what happened Saturday, and he claims it brought an immediate change in mindset from one team - welcome to the ‘Conor Zilisch Rule’.

NASCAR has a 'Conor Zilisch Rule'

He said: “I'm not going to name names, but a driver, we were at the airport and he goes, 'Yeah, in our pre-race meeting today, the competition director said that if we win, we can't stand on the car anymore'.

"It was like a new rule for them. I've killed celebrations.”

Zilisch had explained how the freak injury happened when he joined the USA broadcast of Sunday’s racing at Watkins Glen.

How the injury happened

He explained: “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 I'm glad it wasn't any worse, and that the collarbone is the extent of the injuries.”

READ MORE: NASCAR confirms Kyle Larson demotion after Watkins Glen nightmare

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