CHICAGO — Shane van Gisbergen further etched his name in NASCAR history on Sunday by clinching victory at the Grant Park 165, marking his second triumph at the Chicago street course. The New Zealand driver, who made headlines last year with a surprising win in his Cup debut at the same venue, maintained a strong lead before a late-race caution altered the final lap’s outcome.
With a commanding performance, van Gisbergen crossed the finish line ahead of Ty Gibbs as the caution flag waved for an incident involving Cody Ware. This victory not only secured his place as a two-time winner at the track but also solidified his status as the most successful foreign-born driver in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series. He joins Kyle Busch as the only other driver to sweep a weekend by winning both the Xfinity and Cup races from the pole.
Reflecting on his journey, van Gisbergen admitted he never planned to make NASCAR a permanent fixture in his career. “This place changed my life,” he shared, emphasizing his surprise at finding himself in the sport full-time after initially entering for a one-off race two years ago.
The race took a controversial turn when a mishap on the track prompted a caution just as van Gisbergen was on the verge of completing his next-to-last lap. The caution was not issued until he had crossed the start-finish line, meaning the race remained official once he received the white flag. Had the caution occurred earlier, an overtime restart would have been necessary, likely altering the race’s outcome.
Afterwards, Gibbs and Tyler Reddick, who finished second and third respectively, expressed their disappointment at missing another chance to challenge van Gisbergen. “I would have loved to see what happened in a restart,” Gibbs remarked, acknowledging the race’s tense atmosphere.
Tempers flared as frustrations spilled over among drivers, a scenario common on road courses characterized by limited space for error. Joey Logano confronted Ross Chastain after the race, alleging that Chastain intentionally spun him out, which added to the tension of the event. Logano was further incensed that an initial collision had been started by Austin Cindric.
Bubba Wallace and Alex Bowman also found themselves at odds after a mid-race encounter, each one grappling with the realities of aggressive driving on narrow tracks. “I wasn’t expecting to get raced like that,” Bowman stated, reflecting on their incident.
As discussions surrounding the future of the Chicago street race continue, NASCAR officials are contemplating a potential move to San Diego. While drivers appreciate the unique nature of the street course, many believe the sport should explore various urban venues to draw in new fans.
Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks advocated for the idea of bringing racing directly to urban populations. “If we can take this sport to cities, where people can experience it firsthand, that can only be beneficial for NASCAR,” he said.
NASCAR has a few months to finalize its scheduling, but many in the sport look forward to seeing how the series continues to evolve, especially with another road course race approaching next week in Sonoma. With the drama of Sunday’s race still fresh, the upcoming events promise to carry forward the intensity and competitiveness that fans have come to expect.