Van Gisbergen Unstoppable: 5th Road Course Victory; Logano Advances in Playoffs

Shane van Gisbergen Dominates in Charlotte, Logano Advances with Difficulty

Concord, N.C. – Shane van Gisbergen consolidated his dominance in the season by obtaining his fifth consecutive victory on mixed circuits, this time at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. In a race full of emotions and unexpected twists, the current NASCAR Cup champion, Joey Logano, managed to advance to the third round of the playoffs, in a close battle with Ross Chastain. The competition between Logano and Chastain intensified, as the latter was below the cut line and at risk of elimination. The situation remained tense until an incident on the last lap, involving Denny Hamlin and Chastain, changed the course of the race.

I didn’t know anything at all in that last race, I wasn’t very good.

Denny Hamlin

Hamlin, visibly frustrated, expressed his discontent to his team, arguing that he was unaware of the situation and that he would not have overtaken Chastain if he had known it would benefit Logano. The final result saw Chastain cross the finish line in 21st position, just behind Logano, who secured his pass to the next phase. After the race, the group of competitors was reduced from 12 to 8. Attention focused on the fight for the last playoff spot, with van Gisbergen as the main obstacle to overcome. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell tried to challenge van Gisbergen, but the New Zealand driver held firm and secured the victory. van Gisbergen’s victory dashed the hopes of Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and Austin Cindric. Chastain, for his part, remained in contention, despite Logano’s problems, who did not achieve optimal performance with his Penske Ford.

We are still alive, let’s go!

Joey Logano

Logano, celebrating his qualification, highlighted the excitement and drama that characterize the playoffs. He recalled a similar moment from the previous year, when he was eliminated in Charlotte, but then learned of his return thanks to a disqualification. Logano made a late pit stop to change tires, while Chastain chose not to, forcing him to push himself to the maximum to maintain his position.

Unforced errors, it’s terrible.

Ross Chastain

Chastain lamented the mistakes made, including speeding penalties, and expressed his disappointment with the Trackhouse Racing team. The eight drivers advancing to the third round of the playoffs are Ryan Blaney and Logano from Penske, Chase Elliott, Larson, and William Byron from Hendrick Motorsports, Hamlin, Bell, and Chase Briscoe from Joe Gibbs Racing. Chastain, Cindric, Reddick, and Wallace were eliminated, which means that both cars owned by Michael Jordan are out of the running for the title.