The legend of Shane van Gisbergen continues to develop when the NASCAR Cup Collection goes street racing. Even when an alternate technique pressured him to lose all of his observe place, van Gisbergen mounted an incredible charge by means of the sphere to win Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen.
Listed below are 4 takeaways from the Go Bowling at The Glen:
Shane van Gisbergen places collectively epic drive to win at Watkins Glen
Since van Gisbergen formally introduced his arrival within the 2023 Chicago Avenue Race, he has dominated the sphere on street programs, together with his 11.1-second win over Christopher Bell within the 2025 race at Watkins Glen.
Nevertheless, Sunday’s race produced one other stage of dominance from the New Zealander. Van Gisbergen led a race-high 74 of the 100 laps, however after electing to remain on the observe whereas the vast majority of the sphere pitted beneath the race’s last warning with 40 laps to go, a green-flag cease with 25 to go put his hopes of successful the race in jeopardy.
Even after going through a 29-second deficit to the leaders, van Gisbergen rapidly chased down Ty Gibbs and Connor Zilisch for the highest spot, making the successful transfer round Gibbs with eight laps left to win his second consecutive race at Watkins Glen, his first race of the season and the seventh of his profession.
Gibbs and Zilisch had a memorable battle for the lead till van Gisbergen’s arrival, however neither one had any likelihood to fend him off. When the mud was settled, van Gisbergen adopted up his large margin of victory from final season with a 7.2-second benefit over Michael McDowell, which was good for the fourth-largest margin of victory in observe historical past.
Richard Childress Racing has encouraging efficiency
Coming into the weekend, the RCR group solely had one prime 10 the whole season. Watkins Glen supplied the silver lining that drivers Austin Dillon (sixth) and Kyle Busch (eighth) wanted after a pair of top-10 runs.
Dillon has traditionally struggled on street programs, whereas Busch has endured a crew chief change, a late-race encounter with John Hunter Nemechek at Texas and a nagging sinus chilly at Watkins Glen. Some strong, drama-free runs from the 2 is exactly what RCR needed to cease the bleeding.
Hendrick Motorsports leaves Watkins Glen scratching its head
William Byron led the HMS group in qualifying (thirteenth), however neither of the 4 drivers had something to be happy with popping out of Upstate New York.
Byron’s day spiraled uncontrolled when contact from Chris Buescher despatched him round within the bus cease on the Lap 44 restart. He by no means recovered after damaging his right-rear toe hyperlink and completed thirty sixth.
