Van Gisbergen takes another road course win in Charlotte
Kiwi driver Shane van Gisbergen has extended his remarkable road course dominance in the NASCAR Cup Series, taking a hard-fought victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Sunday. The win marks his fifth consecutive road course triumph, further cementing his reputation as one of the sport’s top circuit racers.
Van Gisbergen controlled much of the race but had to fend off a fierce challenge from Kyle Larson in the final stage before breaking free to take the chequered flag well ahead of the field.
“Yeah, just started getting hot and sliding around, but what an awesome race, Kyle [Larson] and Christopher [Bell] driving really good and got a little rough, but man, the battle was awesome,” said van Gisbergen.
“With the Chevy, I lost it a little bit at the start of stage three, and whatever they did for the rest of the race, unbelievable. Really enjoyed that, and that was a long time waiting hoping the yellow wasn’t going to come out.”
Larson finished second, with Christopher Bell completing the podium. Chris Buescher and Michael McDowell rounded out the top five, while Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, Chase Elliott, AJ Allmendinger, and Tyler Reddick completed the top ten.
The race also served as the Round of 12 playoff elimination event, producing plenty of late-race drama. Ross Chastain and Joey Logano battled desperately for points at the cutoff line before Chastain’s last-lap attempt to pass Denny Hamlin ended in chaos; both cars spun and crossed the finish line in reverse.
Van Gisbergen’s victory was built on early pace and strong strategy. After taking the lead from Tyler Reddick early in Stage 1, he went on to win the opening segment ahead of Larson and Ty Gibbs. The Kiwi maintained his composure through multiple cautions and heavy contact during Stage 2, while several playoff contenders — including Austin Cindric — saw their hopes collapse after spins and damage.
In the final stage, van Gisbergen briefly lost the lead to Larson and Bell before regaining it with fresher tyres and pulling clear over the closing laps. His decisive move past Larson proved to be the pass for the win.
The NASCAR Cup Series continues next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where the Round of 8 playoffs will begin on October 13.
NASCAR Cup Series – Bank of America Roval 400, Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Shane van Gisbergen – Trackhouse Racing
- Kyle Larson – Hendrick Motorsports
- Christopher Bell – Joe Gibbs Racing
- Chris Buescher – RFK Racing
- Michael McDowell – Spire Motorsports
