Van Gisbergen got here into the Cup race at Chicago with excessive hopes, and never simply because he was the defending winner. The New Zealander additionally won Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race from pole position. He began fifth in Sunday’s Cup race, and rapidly discovered his method into the race lead.
SVG was capable of take the highest spot from Ty Gibbs as they navigated slower site visitors in a three-wide transfer exiting the ultimate nook. He went on to win the opening stage, which ended beneath warning because the rain picked up.
Your complete area moved to wet-weather tires for the beginning of the second stage. Van Gisbergen was fifth after pitstops, however by no means acquired the prospect to battle his method again to the entrance. On the opening lap of the restart, Chase Briscoe misplaced management getting into Flip 6, locking up the tires and aquaplaning. He clipped the rear of Van Gisbergen’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, who slammed the surface wall and was unable to proceed.
Briscoe’s No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing spun into the tire boundaries after the contact. SVG might be scored fortieth within the order, ending final. The race was then red-flagged because the rain picked up.
After being launched from the infield care middle, the three-time Supercars champion had the next response after being proven the incident: “Yeah, good one. So, that sucks. Unlucky mistake by him [Briscoe]. I’m certain he didn’t imply it. However yeah, when he simply clipped me, nothing I may do.”
Chatting with NBC, he continued: “In fact I am disillusioned. We had a extremely superb Camaro there. Kaulig and Trackhouse gave us an incredible automobile. We have been capable of lead and I felt like I used to be driving properly inside myself . So, yeah, it is a disgrace to be out so early and it is a disgrace we could not have a correct crack at it on the finish.”
Wanting forward, he named race leaders Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, and Kyle Larson because the favorites to win the occasion in his absence.
“Effectively, we had some actually cool battles with them and and respectful. Actually truthful. So yeah, any of the highest three I believe are the favourite.”
The climate was all the time altering. The race began with {a partially} damp observe and a lot of the area on slick tires, earlier than transitioning to full moist situations by the tip of the primary stage.
“It was fantastic,” van Gisbergen mentioned of the observe situations. “However on slicks it acquired a bit dodgy and I hated being the chief. Whoever was the chief, you can see them slowing up undecided what the situations could be. As quickly as I acquired to the entrance you all the time not sure of what is occurring and I needed to take it a bit simple so yeah. However, I had lots of enjoyable … till then.”
