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Connor Zilisch jokes "I guess I just can't celebrate" after ripping firesuit

Zilisch had another eventful post-race celebration at Gateway, but thankfully, there were no broken bones this time

Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

Ever since he fell off the car in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen and broke his collarbone, 19-year-old Connor Zilisch has been very careful when celebrating his many race wins.

At Portland, he crawled out of the roof hatch instead of the window, and humorously tucked the window net inside the car after slipping on it at The Glen.

His ninth win of the year came this weekend at Gateway, where he also locked up the regular season title. Once again, things got wild after the checkered flag.

Zilisch came uncomfortably close to a camera man as he slid his car down the frontstretch in celebration. He then backed his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet into the wall while performing burnouts. Finally, he slid down the windshield and hood like a makeshift playground slide, where he apparently ripped his firesuit.

"I actually thought of that when I was up there (the slide), and I actually ripped my firesuit," said Zilisch in the post-race press conference. "I guess I just can't celebrate. I should just get out of the car and sit on the ground because everything I do just seems to go to hell. Yeah, I got to figure out what to do. I was just sitting up there, it looked like an easy way down, and I didn't think I would get hurt doing that. My idea, but poorly executed."

He went on to say that he liked the idea of sliding down the car and that we'll probably see it again in the future, just without ripping his firesuit next time.

 

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