During Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Circuit of The Americas, Connor Zilisch was competing inside the top five before a late-race clash with Corey Day altered the outcome. With just three laps remaining in the Focused Health 250, Day’s No. 17 Chevrolet made contact with Zilisch’s No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet while they battled for fifth place, causing Zilisch to spin and crash into a retaining wall.
The race continued without a caution flag despite the incident. Although Zilisch was able to keep racing, he ultimately finished in 21st place. Day went on to secure a fifth-place finish, marking his second top-five result of the season.
Zilisch Voices Frustration After Incident with Day
Connor Zilisch, who races full-time with Trackhouse Racing in the Cup Series, expressed clear disappointment about the contact, refusing to elaborate further on what happened on the track. In a post-race interview with The CW, Zilisch recounted the difficulties he overcame earlier in the race, including having to replace a rear brake caliper, which had him poised for a top-five finish before the crash.
I don’t need to explain myself. Really unfortunate. … We had to change a left rear brake and the entire caliper. I hate that it ended like that for us. We were going to finish top five there, and same guy every week that does this. Hopefully, he can figure it out,
Zilisch said.
Despite the setback, Zilisch conveyed he enjoyed driving the JR Motorsports car on Saturday. More than anything, he wished for an apology from Day after the race but did not receive one. Still, he remains focused on upcoming events and expects Day to learn from the incident.
All I want is an apology but the guy just stands over there and stares at me and that just makes it worse. He’ll figure it out. We’ll go on to tomorrow and try to have a better day tomorrow,
Zilisch added.
Corey Day Explains Circumstances Surrounding the Collision
Following the race, Corey Day addressed the contact with Zilisch, insisting the collision was unintentional. He detailed problems with his No. 17 Chevrolet and acknowledged fault for the incident, emphasizing he did not intend to cause a wreck.
I’m going to get no sympathy for I guess that off my track record. It wasn’t intentional. Didn’t want to wreck him or have that happen,
Day stated.
While Zilisch was disappointed by the lack of an apology during the post-race interaction, Day confirmed he was willing to take responsibility and speak with Zilisch about the situation.
I’ve got no problem going over there and talking to him. It was my mistake, whether I had a broken race car or not. I’ll own up to it and I’ll go apologize, no problem,
Day said.
Race Outcome and Broader Implications for Both Drivers
Saturday’s event saw Shane van Gisbergen capture the victory, which marked his fifth O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win, all on road courses. For Zilisch, the crash at COTA represents a significant disruption in a race where he showed strong pace despite mechanical setbacks. The incident with Day further fueled tensions between the competitors as they aim to improve their performances in the highly competitive series.
Looking ahead, Zilisch anticipates refocusing for the next Cup Series race, while Day intends to make amends and learn from the contact. The episode underscores how tight battles on challenging road courses like Circuit of The Americas can quickly escalate, influencing not only race outcomes but driver relations as well.
Connor Zilisch spins off the track during a late push for the front. pic.twitter.com/95ukfAlBaV
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) February 28, 2026
"All I want is an apology but the guy just stands over there and stares at me and that just makes it worse."
A disappointed @ConnorZilisch comments on the late-race incident with Corey Day. pic.twitter.com/yM0j9QpjTQ
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) February 28, 2026
.@corey_day_ provides his side of what happened with him and Connor Zilisch. pic.twitter.com/m8v5AQZBOl
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) February 28, 2026
