"Arrr! Shane van Gisbergen be plunderin' a grand victory on th' treacherous Chicago street course in his maiden voyage!"
2023-07-02
Arr, me hearties! Shane van Gisbergen, a bold buccaneer, set sail on the treacherous Chicago street course. Battlein' through the torrential rains, he plundered the victory, claimin' his first triumph in the NASCAR realm! Yo ho ho and a bottle of grog!
Shane van Gisbergen, a New Zealand native and three-time Supercars champion, made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in downtown Chicago and emerged as the winner in a rainy and memorable finish. After passing Chase Elliott, van Gisbergen dueled with Justin Haley in the final laps, eventually moving ahead and securing the victory. Haley finished in second place, while Elliott took third.The race, which was the series' first street race, was originally scheduled for 100 laps and 220 miles. However, it was shortened due to fading sunlight and delays caused by heavy rainfall that flooded the course. The Xfinity Race, set to resume after being suspended on Saturday due to lightning, was ultimately canceled.
Van Gisbergen had the opportunity to drive the No. 91 Chevrolet in Chicago as part of Trackhouse Racing's Project 91, which aims to expand the team's global reach. He was supported in his NASCAR debut by Darian Grubb, who had served as crew chief for Tony Stewart during his Cup Series championship win in 2011.
Prior to the start of the race, pole-sitter Denny Hamlin and Noah Gragson took to social media to express their concerns about the persistent rain. NASCAR eventually allowed the drivers to return to their haulers until the weather improved. Once the race began, the course remained wet, leading to several incidents of drivers sliding into tire barriers and causing puddles on the track.
Despite the challenging conditions, van Gisbergen emerged victorious in his NASCAR debut, with a memorable finish and an entertaining race that included a massive pileup involving 14 cars on Michigan Avenue, much to the amusement of local Chicago drivers.