After Connor Zilisch suffered a broken collarbone while celebrating his win on the car rooftop, questions arose at Richmond Raceway about whether the longstanding rooftop celebration tradition is still safe for drivers. The incident placed a spotlight on safety practices and whether the ritual might see changes, especially as the topic of Connor Zilisch NASCAR rooftop celebration safety became a focal point for fans and industry insiders.
Recent Celebrations Offer Lessons in Caution
Despite Zilisch’s injury, the winner of the Cook Out 400, Austin Dillon, maintained the tradition, climbing atop his car for the celebration. However, Dillon took two notable safety precautions to avoid a similar mishap. First, he ensured that his window net was tucked inside the car, rather than left dangling, since it was the window net that had caused Zilisch’s foot to slip. Second, Dillon adjusted his stance by planting both feet firmly on the driver’s door, instead of splitting them between the door and the roof as Zilisch had done. Dillon performed this maneuver both on the track‘s frontstretch and in victory lane. He later shared that someone was present to remind him to check the window net’s position and prevent a repeat of the incident.
Before Saturday night’s race on Richmond Raceway’s three-quarter-mile oval, several drivers admitted they had no plans to abandon the rooftop celebration. Instead, they intended to exercise greater caution during their postrace jubilation. Importantly, NASCAR officials made no move to ban or restrict post-victory rooftop celebrations following Zilisch’s incident.
Brad Keselowski Shares His Thoughts on Victory Lane Rituals
Team co-owner Brad Keselowski made his stance clear regarding safety and traditions in victory lane, especially concerning other drivers on his RFK Racing team, such as Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece.
“I’m not looking to be the car police,”
—Brad Keselowski, Team Co-owner
However, Keselowski personally indicated a new hesitancy about joining the celebration atop his own vehicle in the future, saying:
“I think I’ll just grab my American flag and stand outside of it (car),”
—Brad Keselowski, Team Co-owner
Reflecting on racing mishaps, Keselowski also mentioned,
“We’ve all had our moments. You do this sport long enough you’re bound to have a moment that you wish you could have back. I sliced my hand open one time. I’ve got quite a few of them and Connor got his first one. Just adventures in racing.”
—Brad Keselowski, Team Co-owner
Evolution of the Rooftop Celebration: A Look Back
Standing or jumping atop the race car to celebrate victories is a relatively recent phenomenon, gaining traction in NASCAR in the 21st century. Previously, older car designs made this practice impractical—sheet metal roofs would often bend under a driver’s weight, risking a car’s compliance with post-race inspections. Composite body cars and a younger generation of drivers contributed to the modern trend, even as concerns lingered over the structural integrity of the vehicles.
Historic figures like Richard Petty and David Pearson rarely, if ever, climbed atop their vehicles after a win. Notably, Richard Petty’s only instance was during the 1968 Daytona 500, when he climbed onto his car solely to repair a damaged roof before rejoining the race and finishing eighth. In Charlotte Motor Speedway’s early decades, drivers or “race queens” sometimes appeared standing on cars in victory lane, but this was only after a carpeted platform was placed atop the vehicle for photographic purposes.
In the 1980s, Rusty Wallace made a celebrated leap from his car’s roof to its hood during his 1989 Atlanta championship win, but the move drew criticism from then NASCAR Cup Director Dick Beaty. Over time, other forms of celebratory stunts—for example, crew members riding the winning car’s decklid and hood after Daytona 500 victories—were also curtailed over safety concerns, specifically the risk of someone falling onto pit road.
No Official Ban, but Traditions Adjusted for Caution
Despite the incident involving Connor Zilisch, there has been no indication that NASCAR will ban rooftop victory celebrations. Instead, drivers show a collective intention to be more vigilant. Keselowski has expressed a preference for safer celebrations, while others, like Austin Dillon, demonstrate that with additional care and safety measures, the beloved tradition can continue without further incidents.
The focus now shifts to how individual drivers and teams will adapt these rituals in the wake of recent events. As history illustrates, NASCAR’s post-race culture continues to evolve—balancing the excitement of celebration with the practical realities of safety. With high-profile figures such as Keselowski, Dillon, and Zilisch influencing the conversation, the tradition of rooftop celebrations will likely persist, albeit with heightened awareness and precaution moving forward.
