Shane van Gisbergen takes Sonoma to extend win streak

SONOMA, Calif. -- Shane van Gisbergen extended his winning streak to 2 consecutive and 3 victories successful the past 5 weeks with yet different dominating tally connected a roadworthy course.

The New Zealander erstwhile again showed he's successful a wholly antithetic people connected roadworthy and thoroughfare courses than his rivals arsenic helium led 97 of 110 laps Sunday to triumph from rod astatine Sonoma Raceway. All 3 of his wins this twelvemonth person been from rod -- which tied him with Jeff Gordon for a NASCAR grounds of 3 consecutive roadworthy people victories from the apical starting spot.

Gordon did it betwixt the 1998 and 1999 seasons.

Victory No. 4 for van Gisbergen -- who stunned NASCAR successful 2023 erstwhile helium popped into the debut Chicago thoroughfare people contention from Australian V8 Supercars and won -- seemed a fixed earlier teams adjacent arrived astatine the picturesque people successful California vino country. His rivals person lamented that "SVG" has a unsocial braking method helium mastered Down Under that nary of them -- each oval specialists -- tin ever learn.

That triumph successful Chicago 2 years agone led van Gisbergen to determination to the United States for a vocation alteration driving banal cars for Trackhouse Racing. He and Ross Chastain person pumped vigor into the squad implicit this summertime agelong with Chastain kicking it disconnected with a Memorial Day play triumph astatine the Coca-Cola 600.

Van Gisbergen is the fastest operator to triumph 4 Cup Series races -- successful his 34th commencement -- since Parnelli Jones successful 1969.

"It means everything. That's wherefore I contention cars. I had an astonishing clip successful Australia, and past to travel present and the past mates weeks, oregon years, actually, has been a imagination travel true," said van Gisbergen. "I've truly enjoyed my clip successful NASCAR. Thanks, everyone, for making maine consciousness truthful welcome. I anticipation I'm present for a agelong clip to come."

The Sonoma triumph made it 4 victories for Trackhouse successful 8 weeks. Van Gisbergen was 2nd from rod successful Saturday's Xfinity Series race.

Although helium dominated again Sunday, van Gisbergen pitted from the pb with 27 laps remaining and past had to thrust his mode backmost to the front. He got it with a walk of Michael McDowell with 19 laps remaining, but 2 precocious cautions made van Gisbergen triumph restarts to adjacent retired the triumph successful his Chevrolet.

Chase Briscoe was 2nd successful a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

"I've ne'er played against Michael Jordan, but I ideate this was precise similar," Briscoe said aft not being capable to walk van Gisbergen connected the 2 precocious restarts -- the past with 5 laps remaining. "That feline is unbelievable connected roadworthy courses. He's conscionable truthful good. He's truly raised the barroom connected this full series."

Briscoe was followed by Chase Elliott successful a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. McDowell successful a Chevy for Spire Motorsports was 4th and Christopher Bell successful a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing was fifth.

In-season challenge

The midseason tourney that pays $1 cardinal to the victor is down to 4 drivers.

Alex Bowman finished 25th and eliminated Ty Dillon, who finished 26th. Tyler Reddick (11th) knocked retired Ryan Preece (16th), John Hunter Nemechek knocked retired teammate Erik Jones arsenic they finished 21st and 22nd, and Ty Gibbs, with a seventh-place finish, eliminated Zane Smith.

Bowman, astatine eighth, is the highest-seeded operator inactive successful the challenge, which debuted this year.

Crew fight

NASCAR officials had to abstracted the crews for Brad Keselowski and Gibbs erstwhile members from the 2 teams scrapped connected pit roadworthy during the race.

Keselowski's unit confronted Gibbs' unit aft Gibbs drove done their pit stall and narrowly missed hitting immoderate of Keselowski's unit members already successful spot waiting for him.

The confrontation appeared to beryllium contained to pushing and shoving and NASCAR officials rapidly stepped betwixt them. Both crews were fixed an authoritative informing for warring but NASCAR said Gibbs did thing wrong.

Clean contention -- for a while

It took 61 of the 110 laps for the archetypal caution for an on-track incidental -- erstwhile Ryan Blaney was knocked disconnected the people and into the ungraded aboriginal successful the 3rd stage. The interaction from Chris Buescher near Blaney stranded, and close earlier NASCAR could propulsion the yellow, Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin some spun.

It was technically the 3rd caution of the race, but the archetypal 2 were for earthy signifier breaks.

The contention ended with six cautions -- 2 successful the last stretch.

Up next

The Cup Series races Sunday astatine Dover Motor Speedway successful Delaware, wherever Hamlin won past year.