When the news surfaced that Connor Zilisch would sit out the upcoming Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway due to a lower back injury sustained in a late-race crash at Talladega, fans quickly pointed fingers at Jesse Love.
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The incident, which unfolded during a last-lap battle for the lead, sparked backlash, as Zilisch was turned head-on into the wall while attempting to block Love. However, Zilisch’s recent remarks about the nature of his injury stirred fresh concern.
In a short interview shared by Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, Zilisch addressed the extent of his condition and his recovery timeline.
The JR Motorsports driver revealed, “I don’t know what I’m allowed to say. I cleared all my X-rays at the track, and there was nothing obvious. So, everything is very minor. I’ll say that.”
What raised eyebrows was his follow-up: “But I don’t know what I’m allowed to say to the extent of what my injuries are. But I’ll probably just plead the fifth and not get myself in trouble. But yeah, there’s no crazy big injury that you know is gonna hold me for months. It’s gonna be day by day.”
One NASCAR fan raised an eyebrow, asking, “Why would he ‘get himself in trouble’ by saying what’s wrong with him? I can’t say I’ve heard a response quite like this before.”
Another remarked, “This plead the 5th thing is really odd.” A third chimed in, questioning the silence: “Why is there such a hush hush nature of this injury? Normally we all hear what it is, not sure what the negative consequences would be for revealing.”
Connor Zilisch characterized his lower back injury as "minor" and with Texas a high-speed track and then two weeks off for Xfinity, it made sense to sit this week out. He believes he'll be ready to do both Xfinity and Cup at Charlotte as planned later this month. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/LrMp5Y8EiK
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 2, 2025
Though the full extent of Zilisch’s injury remains under wraps, he will sit out the upcoming weekend to recover. Even his car looked scary after the crash, as it left his #88 Chevrolet heavily damaged, with the front end buried deep into the SAFER barrier.
Despite the severity, Zilisch managed to exit the vehicle on his own before being evaluated and cleared at the infield care center.
During his absence, Kyle Larson will step in to drive the #88 car at Texas Motor Speedway, ahead of his Cup Series run at the same venue on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the team confirmed on Thursday that NASCAR has granted Zilisch a playoff waiver, keeping him eligible for the 2025 playoffs following his earlier win at Circuit of The Americas.
