Shane van Gisbergen held a clinic during the closing laps of Sunday’s race on the Chicago Street Circuit to win in his first NASCAR start.
The three-time Australian Supercars champion outclassed everyone in the final laps of the race and passed Justin Haley with five laps to go for the win. Van Gisbergen had the lead just after a warning went out with less than 10 laps to go for the Martin Truex Jr. crash, but NASCAR ruled the pass not complete before the warning went out.
Van Gisbergen then had to hang on for a green-white checkerboard restart and had no challenge from Haley or third-placed Chase Ellliott. Van Gisbergen pulled away from Haley in the final two laps and won by more than a second.
Van Gisbergen’s prowess on the street circuit was on full display during the final 20 laps of the race. He headed forward easily and passed Haley just after passing him. He is the first driver to earn his first Cup Series start since Johnny Rutherford’s victory at Daytona in 1963.