The New Zealand native won by over 11 seconds over Christopher Bell.
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. β Shane Van Gisbergen completed a near-flawless day to win Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen, breaking the series record for rookie victories in the process.
Van Gisbergen led 38 laps of the 90-lap affair. He beat second-place Christopher Bell by over 11 seconds as the race’s final 45 laps ran green. The New Zealand native was kept out of the lead during a late pit cycle but effectively dominated the last portion of the race.Β
“What an awesome race,” Van Gisbergen said. “The car was just amazing again.”
While not a traditional rookie when his Australian Supercars Championship titles and 2023 NASCAR Chicago win are taken into consideration, Van Gisbergen is still in his rookie campaign. His fourth win of the year breaks a record set by Tony Stewart in 1999 and equalled by Jimmie Johnson in 2002.
The race for second was much better contested, with Bell surpassing Chris Buescher for the spot on the final lap. William Byron finished fourth, and Chase Briscoe finished fifth. Daniel SuΓ‘rez finished seventh and Ross Chastain finished 10th, securing three top 10s for Trackhouse Racing in addition to Van Gisbergen’s win.
Ryan Blaney started on the pole and was the only one who could keep Van Gisbergen in check during the first stage. Van Gisbergen passed Blaney during a restart after the race’s first caution.
Kyle Larson’s inconsistent season hit another barrier when he suffered brake issues in the early laps and was forced to pit for repairs. Larson finished last in 39th, 14 laps off the pace, but managed to turn the race’s fastest lap. Β Ever since winning at Kansas in May, Larson has five finishes of 28th or worse along with five top 10s in the same period.Β
Josh Berry smashed the wall after being hit by Ty Dillon, bringing out the first caution on lap 28. The race’s only caution happened when John Hunter Nemechek was spun out by Ty Gibbs as the second stage was concluding.
The caution periods shuffled the pit strategy, allowing some drivers to gain track position. Every situation inevitably led to Van Gisbergen pulling out to the front and dominating.Β
Van Gisbergen is now even with Denny Hamlin for most wins in 2025. The bonus points from these wins will greatly benefit Van Gisbergen’s efforts to survive the first stage of the playoffs.
The NASCAR Cup Series is next in action at Richmond Raceway. Austin Dillon is the defending winner. Dillon’s win was mired in controversy after he wrecked Joey Logano on the last lap, leading to the victory being disqualified from playoff eligibility.