Van Gisbergen Dominates Sonoma and Extends Streak: NASCAR and Historic Record

The driver Shane van Gisbergen continues to demonstrate his dominance in NASCAR races, adding his second consecutive victory and the third in the last five weeks. The New Zealander, known for his skill on mixed circuits, once again imposed his law at the Sonoma Raceway, leading 97 of the 110 laps and securing the victory from the pole position. This triumph represents his third consecutive victory from the starting position, matching Jeff Gordon’s record in NASCAR. Van Gisbergen, who surprised the world of motorsports by winning the Chicago street race in 2023, has proven to be a formidable competitor. Van Gisbergen’s transition to the NASCAR world, coming from the Australian V8 Supercars series, has been a resounding success. His arrival in the United States and his incorporation into the Trackhouse Racing team have revitalized the team, along with the performance of Ross Chastain, who won on Memorial Day weekend. Van Gisbergen has become the fastest driver to reach four Cup victories, achieving it in his thirty-fourth race, surpassing the record set by Parnelli Jones in 1969. It means everything. That’s why I run. I had an incredible experience in Australia, and then coming here and the last weeks, or years, actually, has been a dream come true. I’ve really enjoyed my time in NASCAR. Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome. I hope to be here for a long time. The victory at Sonoma marks the fourth for Trackhouse in eight weeks. Van Gisbergen also achieved second place in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday. Despite his dominance, van Gisbergen had to come back after a pit stop with 27 laps remaining. He managed to regain the lead by overtaking Michael McDowell with 19 laps to go, and defended his position in two late restarts to secure the victory. Chase Briscoe, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, took second place. Chase Elliott, from Hendrick Motorsports, and Michael McDowell, from Spire Motorsports, rounded out the top four.

Challenge in the Season

The Mid-Season Tournament, which awards a prize of one million dollars to the winner, is in its final phase with four drivers competing. Alex Bowman, who finished in 25th place, eliminated Ty Dillon, who finished 26th. Tyler Reddick, John Hunter Nemechek, and Zane Smith also advanced, leaving out Ryan Preece, Erik Jones, and Ty Gibbs respectively. Bowman, with his eighth position, is the highest-ranked driver still remaining in the challenge, which debuted this year.

Team Confrontation

During the race, Brad Keselowski and Ty Gibbs’ teams clashed in the pit lane. The situation originated when Gibbs’ car passed Keselowski’s stall, brushing against some team members. The members of both teams were warned by NASCAR for the incident, although it was determined that Gibbs had not committed any infraction.

Track Incidents

The first caution for an incident on the track came on lap 61, when Ryan Blaney was taken off the track by Chris Buescher. The incident also involved Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin. The race ended with six yellow flags, two of them in the final stretch. The next Cup race will be held at the Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.