SHANE VAN GISBERGEN NASCAR MASTERCLASS AT WATKINS GLEN

Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) solidified his status as NASCAR’s premier road-course ace today, putting on a spectacular performance at Watkins Glen International. Starting from the pole, the driver of the No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet led a race-high 74 of 100 laps to secure his first win of the 2026 season and the seventh Cup Series victory of his career.

SVG dominated the opening segment, leading the first 18 laps before pitting late in the stage to prioritize track position. While teammate Ross Chastain took the Stage 1 win, SVG roared back in Stage 2, charging from 7th to 1st in just two laps to claim the stage victory.

The race turned on a strategic split during a Lap 60 caution (caused by Joey Logano’s tire debris). While some leaders stayed out, SVG eventually had to make a final green-flag pit stop from the lead on Lap 76. He rejoined the track in 24th place, a staggering 29 seconds behind then-leader Ty Gibbs. The commenatry team had written him off, he had other plans!

What followed was one of the most impressive drives in recent NASCAR history. Utilizing four fresh tires and a clearly superior car, van Gisbergen began picking off the field at an incredible rate. He needed only 16 laps to carve through 23 cars:

• On Lap 92, he hunted down Ty Gibbs and made the pass for the lead.
• Once in clean air, he checked out, eventually crossing the finish line over seven seconds ahead of Michael McDowell.

This win is a major statement for the Trackhouse Racing team. After a few weeks of navigating the “learning curve” on ovals like Talladega and Texas, SVG returned to his natural habitat and “schooled” the field.

“I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, and then to run them down like that… it’s very, very special to do two in a row [at the Glen],” van Gisbergen said in Victory Lane.

With this victory, SVG has now won six of the last seven NASCAR Cup road course events, further cementing a record-breaking run for an international driver in the series.

Photos: NASCAR & Trackhouse FB

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