Shane van Gisbergen put together one of the all-time NASCAR road course drives on Sunday to take a brilliant victory at Watkins Glen.
The No. 97 team's strategy choices meant that the New Zealander, who had dominated the first two stages, took an extra green flag pit stop and had to cut through the field from 26th and 29.2 seconds behind leaders Ty Gibbs and Connor Zilisch, with 24 laps to go.
Not only did he scythe through the cars in front of him, but he ate up that 29 second gap in the space of just 18 laps as he finally opened the taps, having been minding his car and tires in the first two stages.
It looked almost impossible to clear that much traffic and make up nearly half a minute. Not only was it very much possible – Michael McDowell also made it back up through the field behind him and into second place – but he could've given up a much bigger gap and still taken the win.
In the event, Van Gisbergen beat McDowell by 7.288 seconds (the fourth largest margin of victory at the track in Cup history), and Gibbs was beaten into third place by 16 seconds, meaning that in those final 24 laps SVG outpaced the No. 54 – a good car, a car which finished the race in third place! – by 45 seconds.
If there was any doubt that the Kiwi is the best road course driver in NASCAR history, it has surely now been dispelled.
Remember: there's still two more road courses before the end of next month.
With that said, let’s take a look at the full results below!
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Who won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen today?
Here are the results from Watkins Glen on Sunday afternoon.
Race Results
| Pos | Driver (Car No.) | Team (OEM) | Gap Behind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shane Van Gisbergen (97) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | Leader |
| 2 | Michael McDowell (71) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | +7.288 |
| 3 | Ty Gibbs (54) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | +16.531 |
| 4 | Chase Briscoe (19) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | +19.253 |
| 5 | Tyler Reddick (45) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | +19.372 |
| 6 | Austin Dillon (3) | R. Childress Racing (Chevrolet) | +20.941 |
| 7 | AJ Allmendinger (16) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) | +21.518 |
| 8 | Kyle Busch (8) | R. Childress Racing (Chevrolet) | +22.302 |
| 9 | Austin Cindric (2) | Team Penske (Ford) | +22.421 |
| 10 | John Hunter Nemechek (42) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) | +25.438 |
| 11 | Ryan Blaney (12) | Team Penske (Ford) | +25.641 |
| 12 | Chris Buescher (17) | RFK Racing (Ford) | +30.506 |
| 13 | Daniel Suarez (7) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | +30.901 |
| 14 | Ryan Preece (60) | RFK Racing (Ford) | +32.096 |
| 15 | Cole Custer (41) | Haas Factory Team (Chevrolet) | +32.924 |
| 16 | Denny Hamlin (11) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | +34.645 |
| 17 | Todd Gilliland (34) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | +36.364 |
| 18 | Zane Smith (38) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | +36.599 |
| 19 | Erik Jones (43) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) | +37.776 |
| 20 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | +42.011 |
| 21 | Christopher Bell (20) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | +43.433 |
| 22 | Noah Gragson (4) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | +43.879 |
| 23 | Kyle Larson (5) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | +45.972 |
| 24 | Chase Elliott (9) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | +46.428 |
| 25 | Alex Bowman (48) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | +50.008 |
| 26 | Riley Herbst (35) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | +51.845 |
| 27 | Ross Chastain (1) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | +53.565 |
| 28 | Carson Hocevar (77) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | +60.393 |
| 29 | Bubba Wallace (23) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | +69.881 |
| 30 | Brad Keselowski (6) | RFK Racing (Ford) | +70.527 |
| 31 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) | HYAK Motorsports (Chevrolet) | +70.606 |
| 32 | Josh Berry (21) | Wood Brothers Racing (Ford) | +80.986 |
| 33 | Ty Dillon (10) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) | 1 Lap |
| 34 | Josh Bilicki (66) | Garage 66 (Ford) | 1 Lap |
| 35 | Katherine Legge | Live Fast Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 1 Lap |
| 36 | William Byron (24) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 3 Laps |
| 37 | Cody Ware (51) | Rick Ware Racing (Chevrolet) | 10 Laps |
| 38 | Joey Logano (22) | Team Penske (Ford) | 15 Laps |
Stage Two Results
| Pos | Driver (Car No.) | Team (OEM) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shane Van Gisbergen (97) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | 10 |
| 2 | Tyler Reddick (45) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | 9 |
| 3 | Ty Gibbs (54) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 8 |
| 4 | Austin Dillon (3) | R. Childress Racing (Chevrolet) | 7 |
| 5 | Kyle Busch (8) | R. Childress Racing (Chevrolet) | 6 |
| 6 | Chris Buescher (17) | RFK Racing (Ford) | 5 |
| 7 | Austin Cindric (2) | Team Penske (Ford) | 4 |
| 8 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | 3 |
| 9 | Chase Briscoe (19) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 2 |
| 10 | Bubba Wallace (23) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | 1 |
| 11 | Ross Chastain (1) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 12 | Michael McDowell (71) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 13 | Ryan Preece (60) | RFK Racing (Ford) | 0 |
| 14 | Denny Hamlin (11) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 15 | Ryan Blaney (12) | Team Penske (Ford) | 0 |
| 16 | Cole Custer (41) | Haas Factory Team (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 17 | Erik Jones (43) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) | 0 |
| 18 | Joey Logano (22) | Team Penske (Ford) | 0 |
| 19 | Carson Hocevar (77) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 20 | Noah Gragson (4) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | 0 |
| 21 | Zane Smith (38) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | 0 |
| 22 | AJ Allmendinger (16) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 23 | Kyle Larson (5) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 24 | Chase Elliott (9) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 25 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) | HYAK Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 26 | Alex Bowman (48) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 27 | Cody Ware (51) | Rick Ware Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 28 | Daniel Suarez (7) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 29 | Christopher Bell (20) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 30 | Katherine Legge | Live Fast Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 31 | Riley Herbst (35) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 32 | Brad Keselowski (6) | RFK Racing (Ford) | 0 |
| 33 | Josh Bilicki (66) | Garage 66 (Ford) | 0 |
| 34 | John Hunter Nemechek (42) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) | 0 |
| 35 | Josh Berry (21) | Wood Brothers Racing (Ford) | 0 |
| 36 | Ty Dillon (10) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 37 | Todd Gilliland (34) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | 0 |
| 38 | William Byron (24) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
Stage One Results
| Pos | Driver (Car No.) | Team (OEM) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ross Chastain (1) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | 10 |
| 2 | Joey Logano (22) | Team Penske (Ford) | 9 |
| 3 | Ryan Blaney (12) | Team Penske (Ford) | 8 |
| 4 | Austin Cindric (2) | Team Penske (Ford) | 7 |
| 5 | AJ Allmendinger (16) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) | 6 |
| 6 | John Hunter Nemechek (42) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) | 5 |
| 7 | Christopher Bell (20) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 4 |
| 8 | Shane Van Gisbergen (97) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | 3 |
| 9 | Riley Herbst (35) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | 2 |
| 10 | Michael McDowell (71) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 1 |
| 11 | Bubba Wallace (23) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 12 | Chase Elliott (9) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 13 | Cody Ware (51) | Rick Ware Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 14 | Ty Dillon (10) | Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 15 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Trackhouse Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 16 | Josh Bilicki (66) | Garage 66 (Ford) | 0 |
| 17 | Ty Gibbs (54) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 18 | Chris Buescher (17) | RFK Racing (Ford) | 0 |
| 19 | Tyler Reddick (45) | 23XI Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 20 | Daniel Suarez (7) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 21 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47) | HYAK Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 22 | Austin Dillon (3) | R. Childress Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 23 | Chase Briscoe (19) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 24 | Kyle Busch (8) | R. Childress Racing (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 25 | Todd Gilliland (34) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | 0 |
| 26 | William Byron (24) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 27 | Denny Hamlin (11) | Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) | 0 |
| 28 | Carson Hocevar (77) | Spire Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 29 | Erik Jones (43) | Legacy Motor Club (Toyota) | 0 |
| 30 | Cole Custer (41) | Haas Factory Team (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 31 | Kyle Larson (5) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 32 | Alex Bowman (48) | Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
| 33 | Ryan Preece (60) | RFK Racing (Ford) | 0 |
| 34 | Zane Smith (38) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | 0 |
| 35 | Brad Keselowski (6) | RFK Racing (Ford) | 0 |
| 36 | Josh Berry (21) | Wood Brothers Racing (Ford) | 0 |
| 37 | Noah Gragson (4) | Front Row Motorsports (Ford) | 0 |
| 38 | Katherine Legge | Live Fast Motorsports (Chevrolet) | 0 |
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