New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen wins Inaugural Chicago Street Race
In a dramatic turn of events during the Grant Park 220, New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen emerged victorious despite the chaos that unfolded at the 49-lap mark. Notably, he became the first driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race in his debut since Johnny Rutherford achieved this feat 60 years ago.
Van Gisbergen piloted the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 program. He staged an impressive charge from eighth position on a Lap 61 restart, ultimately clinching victory in the series’ inaugural street race on the Chicago Street Course, secured in overtime.
Reflecting on his unexpected triumph, Van Gisbergen shared, “No, of course not, but you always dream of it. Thank you so much to the Trackhouse team and (sponsor) Enhance Health, Project91. What an experience in the crowd out here. This was so cool. This is what you dream of. Hopefully, I can come and do more.”
NASCAR’s decision to shorten the race from 100 laps to 75 at the midway point significantly altered the course of events. This change placed a cluster of cars that had pitted on Lap 43 within their fuel window, influencing the dynamics of the competition.
Despite starting the race as far back as 18th due to the strategy shift, Van Gisbergen navigated the field adeptly, displaying remarkable racing skills. He surged to the front and eventually secured the lead, overcoming challenges along the way.
Van Gisbergen’s well-timed moves and skillful driving led him to pass Justin Haley for the lead on Lap 71. Despite an incident involving Bubba Wallace and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. causing a late caution on Lap 74, Van Gisbergen maintained his composure and emerged victorious.
The race distance adjustment worked in favor of Chase Elliott, who had faced setbacks, including crashing during qualifying and starting from the rear in a backup car. Elliott capitalized on the change, finishing third and ahead of Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch.
Haley, who started from the 36th position after crashing in practice, acknowledged the skill of Van Gisbergen and the challenges his team faced. While expressing disappointment at the close finish, he commended Kaulig Racing’s efforts and looked forward to future races.
Christopher Bell, who had initially dominated the race, saw his prospects shift unfavorably with the race’s alteration. He had taken the lead on Lap 9 and secured the first stage win. However, NASCAR’s late decision to shorten the race due to impending nightfall and a subsequent incident led to a disappointing 18th-place finish for Bell.
The race, delayed due to rain for approximately 75 minutes, was marked by multiple incidents, spins, and collisions as drivers navigated changing track conditions from wet to dry.
While Denny Hamlin faced early difficulties and Denny Hamlin faced an 11th-place finish due to an early spin and a subsequent incident, Kyle Busch capitalized on his early pit stop to secure a fifth-place finish.
Austin Cindric, Michael McDowell, Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher completed the top 10.
The race was characterized by its unpredictability, further emphasized by the mid-race decision to adjust the distance. It also caused Ginsbergen to consider leaving the supercar series in Australia with the hope of inking a deal to drive in the NASCAR series part-time or possibly even full-time next year.
