One year ago, Shane van Gisbergen’s Watkins Glen dream ended in heartbreak — a last-lap brush with the Bus Stop wall that snatched victory from his grasp.
This year? No mistakes. No mercy.
The Kiwi road-course assassin put on an absolute masterclass in Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen, storming to his fifth NASCAR Cup Series win — and an unprecedented fourth straight on road courses — by a crushing 11-second margin over Christopher Bell.
“Good to get that one back,” SVG said in Victory Lane, flashing the grin of a man who’d just settled an old score. “The car was amazing. This is the stuff you dream about. And yeah, I gave that Bus Stop wall an extra metre this time.”
From Deep in the Pack to Total Control
It wasn’t a wire-to-wire cruise. Starting alongside poleman Ryan Blaney, van Gisbergen battled hard early before Stage 2 strategy dropped him to 22nd.
But the Kiwi was in no mood to stay buried. On fresher tyres, he carved through the field, hunting down Blaney in just nine laps and taking control at the penultimate corner. From there, nobody laid a glove on him.
By the final pit cycle, SVG had built a 20-second cushion. Even when Buescher threatened in the closing laps, the #88 simply turned up the pace, stretching the gap from two seconds to six, and then to double digits.
A Win for the Record Books
The victory keeps van Gisbergen in rare air — no other rookie in NASCAR history has strung together four consecutive road course wins. And he’s following in the footsteps of fellow Supercars export Marcos Ambrose, who twice conquered The Glen.
This one, though, carried extra meaning. SVG got to celebrate in Victory Lane with his father Robert, who’s joining him for the next three weeks.
“It’s amazing to have him here,” Shane said. “He’s had a tough couple of years, so to share this with him is really special.”
Bell Snatches Second, Buescher Third
Behind SVG’s runaway victory, Bell grabbed second from Buescher on the final lap. William Byron and Blaney rounded out the top five, while big names like Kyle Larson saw their races unravel early with mechanical woes.
Notably, the race ran clean to the finish — no late cautions, no restarts, just pure speed.
Next Up: Richmond Short-Track Warfare
With Watkins Glen conquered and redemption secured, van Gisbergen now turns his attention to the Cook Out 400 at Richmond. And given the form he’s in, it’s clear: whether it’s left turns, right turns, or both, the Kiwi’s not slowing down for anyone.
